Cast Iron Cornbread

This version of cast iron cornbread is incredibly simple to make from scratch. It's savory, not sweet! And it's the perfect texture to use in cornbread dressing or for dipping in some pot liquor.

There are a hundred different ways to make cornbread. And everybody thinks their way is the best, right?! When I was growing up, I really only knew of two cornbread "rules" (if that's what you want to call them): cook it in a cast iron skillet and don't make it sweet. I know that sweet cornbread is very popular, it's just not what we did in my corner of the south. Although I have been known to add a tablespoon or two of sugar. But that's the beauty of it, you can add all kinds of things. And people do... corn, grated onions (which I really like), jalapeños, cheese, and more!

Why This Recipe Works

1. This is a simple base for cornbread and can be modified to your liking with additional ingredients.
2. Many cornbread recipes have flour, but this one is gluten-free! Which is a must in our household.
3. The texture in this cornbread is crispy and hearty which makes it perfect for using as a base in cornbread dressing. It won't get all soggy and mushy once you add the stock.

How To Make Cast Iron Cornbread

Preheat oven to 450 F. Add 2 tablespoons of bacon fat to cast iron skillet and place skillet in oven while preheating.

Add dry ingredients to large mixing bowl - cornmeal, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.

Whisk to combine.

In a separate bowl, add buttermilk and eggs...

And whisk to combine.

Pour buttermilk mixture into bowl with cornmeal...

...and mix well.

Pour bacon fat into cornbread batter and mix well.

Add 3 more tablespoons of bacon fat to skillet and return to oven until very hot (about 5 minutes).

Carefully remove hot skillet from oven and pour cornbread batter in.

Place skillet in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, until set and lightly golden.

And This Is The AMAZING Result...

Expert Tips

1. Be sure that your skillet is very hot before adding the batter. You don't want to gently bake this like a cake, but rather almost fry it in the oven. Well, at least when the batter hits the oil.
2. To achieve that beautiful golden color, you really want to stay away from white cornmeal. While it will still work, the color will be more pale.

FAQs

Can I use butter instead of bacon fat? Yes, really any oil will work here. But I prefer to use one with animal fat like bacon fat, lard, or butter. If you're using butter, you'll want to heat the pan first, then add butter or it will burn. Once the butter is melted, immediately add the batter. If you're using bacon fat or lard, you want to be sure to make sure it's screaming hot before pouring in the batter. 

Can I make this sweet like I'm used to having cornbread? Of course! If I were to make this a sweet version, I would add 1 tablespoon of sugar for every cup of cornmeal - so, in this recipe, 3 tablespoons of sugar (or even honey!)

What if I don't have a cast iron skillet? This recipe will work baked in a 13x9 casserole dish. However, I would cook it a little differently. Preheat the oven to 400F rather than 450F. Spray your dish with nonstick cooking spray. And this is an instance where I would add 4 tablespoons of melted butter to the batter rather than bacon fat.

More Recipes to Go With Cornbread

• Instant Pot Collard Greens
• Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup
• Pressure Cooker Chili
• Instant Pot Chicken Chili

★ Did you make this cast iron cornbread? Please give it a star rating below! ★

Cast Iron Cornbread

This version of cast iron cornbread is incredibly simple to make from scratch. It's savory, not sweet! And it's the perfect texture to use in cornbread dressing or for dipping in some pot liquor.

5 from 8 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Southern

Prep Time: 7 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Calories: 188kcal

Author: Gary White

Ingredients

• ▢ 3 cups finely ground yellow cornmeal
• ▢ 2 teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 2 cups buttermilk
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 5 tablespoon bacon fat divided

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 450 F. Add 2 tablespoons of bacon fat to a 12" cast iron skillet and place skillet in oven while preheating.
• Add dry ingredients to large mixing bowl - cornmeal, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Whisk to combine.
• In a separate bowl, add buttermilk and eggs and whisk together.
• Pour buttermilk mixture into bowl with cornmeal and mix well.
• Pour bacon fat into cornbread batter and mix well.
• Add 3 more tablespoons of bacon fat to skillet and return to oven until very hot (about 5 minutes).
• Pour cornbread batter into hot skillet. Place skillet in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, until set and lightly golden.

Notes

Expert Tips

1. Be sure that your skillet is very hot before adding the batter. You don't want to gently bake this like a cake, but rather almost fry it in the oven. Well, at least when the batter hits the oil.
2. To achieve that beautiful golden color, you really want to stay away from white cornmeal. While it will still work, the color will be more pale.

FAQs

Can I use butter instead of bacon fat? Yes, really any oil will work here. But I prefer to use one with animal fat like bacon fat, lard, or butter. If you're using butter, you'll want to heat the pan first, then add butter or it will burn. Once the butter is melted, immediately add the batter. If you're using bacon fat or lard, you want to be sure to make sure it's screaming hot before pouring in the batter. 

Can I make this sweet like I'm used to having cornbread? Of course! If I were to make this a sweet version, I would add 1 tablespoon of sugar for every cup of cornmeal - so, in this recipe, 3 tablespoons of sugar (or even honey!)

What if I don't have a cast iron skillet? This recipe will work baked in a 13x9 casserole dish. However, I would cook it a little differently. Preheat the oven to 400F rather than 450F. Spray your dish with nonstick cooking spray. And this is an instance where I would add 4 tablespoons of melted butter to the batter rather than bacon fat.

Nutrition

Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 533mg | Potassium: 226mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 106IU | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 1mg

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