This is the recipe I should have posted months ago. Sorry, y'all, it has been a long time since I posted any videos, but now I'm back, and I am coming back with the one thing people asked about more than anything else: my cast-iron skillet cornbread. It is not cake. It is not sweet. It is a 45-minute, one-pan bread with a crust that crackles when you cut it.
Advertisements1
Here is the math that matters. A 10-inch skillet holds roughly 1,050 grams of batter, which bakes into 8 wedges at about 285 calories each. The pan goes into a 425F (220C) oven empty for 10 minutes first, because batter poured into a screaming-hot pan sets the bottom crust in under 60 seconds. Skip that step and you get pale, soggy cornbread every time.
I tested this 6 times to fix the ratios: 1 1/2 cups cornmeal to 1 cup flour gives you structure without turning it into a pound cake. Buttermilk at 1 1/4 cups hydrates coarse meal fully. Everything else is technique, and technique is free.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (225g) medium-grind yellow cornmeal
Medium grind gives the best texture; stone-ground works but needs 2 extra tablespoons of buttermilk. Avoid fine cornmeal, which turns gummy.
1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
You can swap in white whole wheat flour 1-for-1 for a nuttier flavor. Bread flour makes the crumb noticeably chewier.
2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
This is a Southern-leaning middle ground, not sweet cake. Cut it to 1 tablespoon for a fully savory loaf, or use honey.
2 teaspoons baking powder
Check the date; baking powder older than 6 months loses roughly 30 percent of its lift. Buy small cans and replace often.
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
The soda reacts with the buttermilk's acid, so do not substitute regular milk without adding 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
Fine sea salt dissolves evenly; if using table salt, drop to 1 teaspoon. Kosher salt flakes measure differently, so weigh it.
1 1/4 cups (300ml) buttermilk
No buttermilk? Stir 1 tablespoon white vinegar into 1 1/4 cups whole milk and rest 10 minutes. Plain yogurt thinned with milk also works.
2 large eggs (about 100g)
Room-temperature eggs emulsify faster; drop them in warm water for 5 minutes if you forgot to pull them out.
4 tablespoons (56g) bacon fat, plus 1 tablespoon for the pan
Save drippings in a jar, or use melted butter, lard, or vegetable oil. Bacon fat gives the best crust and a faint smoky note.
1 cup (120g) frozen corn kernels, thawed and patted dry
Optional but recommended. Patting them dry prevents steam pockets; canned corn works if drained well.
Tips & Tricks
Do not skip the hot pan
Put the skillet with 1 tablespoon of fat into the oven for 10 full minutes at 425F (220C). The batter should hiss when it hits the pan.
Mix until just combined
About 15 strokes with a whisk is enough. Lumps are fine. Overmixing develops gluten and produces a tough, rubbery crumb.
Rest the batter 10 minutes
This hydrates the cornmeal and gives you a noticeably softer interior. It is the cheapest upgrade in this recipe.
- Test with a thermometer, not just a toothpick: Pull the pan when the center reads 200F (93C). Below 195F (90C) the middle is still raw.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Heat the oven and pan
Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with 1 tablespoon bacon fat on the middle rack and heat to 425F (220C) for 10 minutes. The fat should shimmer and just begin to smoke.
2. Whisk the dry mix
In a large bowl, whisk 1 1/2 cups cornmeal, 1 cup flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt until no streaks remain, about 30 seconds.
3. Combine the wet team
In a second bowl, whisk 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, 2 eggs, and 4 tablespoons melted bacon fat until smooth and slightly frothy, about 45 seconds.
4. Fold it together
Pour the wet into the dry and fold with a spatula just until the flour disappears, roughly 15 strokes. Fold in the drained corn. Small lumps are correct.
5. Rest the batter
Let the batter sit 10 minutes at room temperature. It will thicken visibly as the cornmeal drinks the buttermilk. This is expected, not a mistake.
6. Pour and hear the sizzle
Carefully pull the hot skillet out, swirl the fat to coat the sides, and pour in the batter. You should hear an immediate sizzle. Smooth the top with the spatula.
7. Bake to golden
Bake at 425F (220C) for 22 to 25 minutes, until the edges are deep golden brown and pulling from the pan and the center springs back when pressed. An instant-read thermometer in the middle should read 200F (93C).
8. Cool and cut
Rest in the pan 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and invert onto a board or cut directly in the pan into 8 wedges. Serve warm with butter.
Delicious Variations
Jalapeno Cheddar
Fold in 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar and 2 minced jalapenos with the corn; add 3 minutes to the bake time.
Honey Butter Skillet
Stir 2 tablespoons honey into the batter and brush the hot top with 2 tablespoons honey melted into 2 tablespoons butter.
Cracklin Cornbread
Replace the bacon fat in the batter with an equal amount of rendered fat and fold in 1/2 cup crushed pork cracklins for a true Delta version.
How to Store Sorry, Y'all, It Has Been a Long Time Since I Posted Any Videos, but Now I'm Back Skillet Cornbread
Refrigerator
Wrap cooled wedges tightly or store in an airtight container up to 4 days. It firms up in the cold, which is normal.
Freezer
Wrap individual wedges in plastic, then foil, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 2 hours.
Reheating
Reheat in a 350F (175C) oven for 8 minutes, or split and toast cut-side down in a buttered skillet for 3 minutes to bring the crust back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why is my cornbread dry and crumbly?
You almost certainly overmixed the batter or used too little fat. Stop folding at 15 strokes and measure the buttermilk by volume carefully. Adding 1 extra tablespoon of bacon fat also helps the crumb hold together.
Q: Can I make skillet cornbread without buttermilk?
Yes, use the vinegar-and-milk trick: 1 tablespoon white vinegar in 1 1/4 cups whole milk, rested 10 minutes. The acid is what activates the baking soda, so do not skip it entirely.
Q: Should cornbread be sweet or savory?
Traditional Southern skillet cornbread is savory, with sugar at 1 tablespoon or less per pan. This recipe uses 2 tablespoons, which lands in the middle and pleases both camps.
Q: Can I use a regular baking pan instead of cast iron?
You can, but you lose the crisp crust. Use an 8-inch square metal pan, preheat it the same way, and bake at 400F (205C) for 20 to 23 minutes. Glass pans run hotter on the bottom, so drop to 375F (190C).
Q: How do I know when cornbread is fully baked?
The center should read 200F (93C) on an instant-read thermometer and the edges should pull away from the pan. A toothpick works too, but it can read clean while the middle is still gummy.
Make this one this week and tell me how the crust came out. If you want the next video to cover a variation, say which one in the comments. Stay sharp, stay solvent.
Sorry, Y'all, It Has Been a Long Time Since I Posted Any Videos, but Now I'm Back Skillet Cornbread
Best Skillet Cornbread delivers a crisp golden crust and tender crumb in 45 minutes, made with buttermilk and bacon fat in one cast-iron pan.
🧂 Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (225g) medium-grind yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 1/4 cups (300ml) buttermilk
- 2 large eggs (about 100g)
- 4 tablespoons (56g) bacon fat, plus 1 tablespoon for the pan
- 1 cup (120g) frozen corn kernels, thawed and patted dry
📋 Instructions
- 1Heat the oven and pan — Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with 1 tablespoon bacon fat on the middle rack and heat to 425F (220C) for 10 minutes. The fat should shimmer and just begin to smoke.
- 2Whisk the dry mix — In a large bowl, whisk 1 1/2 cups cornmeal, 1 cup flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt until no streaks remain, about 30 seconds.
- 3Combine the wet team — In a second bowl, whisk 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, 2 eggs, and 4 tablespoons melted bacon fat until smooth and slightly frothy, about 45 seconds.
- 4Fold it together — Pour the wet into the dry and fold with a spatula just until the flour disappears, roughly 15 strokes. Fold in the drained corn. Small lumps are correct.
- 5Rest the batter — Let the batter sit 10 minutes at room temperature. It will thicken visibly as the cornmeal drinks the buttermilk. This is expected, not a mistake.
- 6Pour and hear the sizzle — Carefully pull the hot skillet out, swirl the fat to coat the sides, and pour in the batter. You should hear an immediate sizzle. Smooth the top with the spatula.
- 7Bake to golden — Bake at 425F (220C) for 22 to 25 minutes, until the edges are deep golden brown and pulling from the pan and the center springs back when pressed. An instant-read thermometer in the middle should read 200F (93C).
- 8Cool and cut — Rest in the pan 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and invert onto a board or cut directly in the pan into 8 wedges. Serve warm with butter.
Diego covers personal finance and investing for freelancers and gig workers. His angle is practical money management for irregular income, from budgeting to tax basics.
