Southern Buttermilk Cornbread Recipe
Our cornbread recipe has the authentic Southern flavor with a crispy crust and a tender inside you get from baking in a cast iron skillet.
Cornbread is probably one of the first recipes that I learned to cook from my Mother. I still make it the same today after all these years. Mama made cornbread so often that she would sometimes make cornbread sticks in a pan like this. I wish I still had her pan. I do have her iron skillet.
It was interesting to me to learn that my mother-in-law made it the same, except that her family prefers thin cornbread. So I had to adjust to pouring less in the iron skillet for my hubby to get his thin cornbread. I don’t do that when I am getting ready to make cornbread dressing, though.
Why you’ll love this recipe
This recipe has stood the test of time. Learning to make a good pan of cornbread is one of the simplest and most affordable recipes to add to your collection. It’s a good dish for stretching the grocery budget because the ingredients are kitchen staples. Cornbread makes a good side with many dishes too.
Tools used:
- 1 Iron skillet (10′ or 12″), like these on Amazon
- 1 Large mixing bowl, I love this one from Amazon
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Spatula
- 1 small bowl for beaten eggs
- 2 thick potholders
Ingredients for Southern Buttermilk Cornbread
- 1½ cups self rising cornmeal, I use Martha White
- 1/2 cup self rising flour
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, beaten
White Cornmeal or Yellow Cornmeal; either works in this recipe. white or yellow is a personal preference. Sometimes they are not both available in the grocery store.
Oil or Bacon grease; I use oil in my recipe. You can substitute bacon grease if you happen to have some. This is where being a seasoned cook comes in handy because there isn’t an actual measurement. I’d say a couple of heaping tablespoons of bacon grease that you have saved in the refrigerator.
Buttermilk adds a distinctly different flavor and texture to cornbread. You can substitute milk, but the outcome will be different, and I do not recommend it.
Flour is added to keep the cornbread from being too crumbly. It makes a difference.
Sugar or no sugar, that is the question. My recipe uses sugar, only a small amount. You can leave it out if you like. The controversy over sugar in cornbread probably dates back to cave days. Truthfully, a whole lot of Southern cooks tend to put a pinch of sugar in most of their recipes, especially vegetables.
Southern Buttermilk Cornbread Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Iron skillet (10' or 12")
- 1 Large mixing bowl
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Spatula
- 1 small bowl for beaten eggs
- 2 thick potholders
Ingredients
- 1½ cups self rising cornmeal I use Martha White
- 1/2 cup self rising flour
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, beaten
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450°
- Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Beat the eggs slightly in a small bowl, then add to the dry ingredients along with the buttermilk to the dry ingredients. Mix well. Batter should be creamy and pourable, not thick. Set aside while you heat the oven.
- Pour the oil into your iron skillet and tilt the pan around to cover the bottom with the oil. Set the skillet in the oven to heat for about 5 minutes.
- Carefully remove the hot iron skillet from the oven and pour your cornbread batter into it, spread evenly aross the bottom. Place into the hot oven and bake until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Nutrition
What to serve Cornbread with:
Cornbread does not have to be made in an Iron Skillet, although us southern folks think it’s quite delicious that way. You can also make Cornbread Muffins just for a change using a muffin pan and cupcake liners.
Fried Cornbread is called Hoe Cakes and is also quite delicious. You can fry it on the stovetop in the iron skillet or on a griddle. Either way, it’s really tasty.
My Dad was one of ten children who grew up eating a whole lot of cornbread prepared every way it could be prepared. He used to eat cornbread broken up into a glass of buttermilk. That is not something I would enjoy, but I have learned to love cornbread and appreciate its versatility.
Cabbage and Cornbread is one of my favorite meals. It’s cheap, easy, and delicious!
