Megan’s Southern Corn Bread
10m prep 25m cook 35m ready
One 9-inch round bread The soaking process is what makes this corn bread special, so don’t be tempted to skip it. It makes for an incredibly moist crumb and softens the coarser cornmeal. If you want corn bread for dinner, simply start soaking the cornmeal in the morning before you leave for work (a process that takes 5 minutes), then finish the corn bread when you get home.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups (200g) fine yellow or white cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
- ½ cup (75g) medium-grind cornmeal or polenta
- 1 ½ cups (355g) boiling water
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ to ¾ cup (120 to 185g) buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon bacon fat, lard, or vegetable oil
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
Stir together in a small bowl: 1 ¼ cups (200g) fine yellow or white cornmeal, preferably stone-ground; ½ cup (75g) medium-grind cornmeal or polenta
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Step 2.
Pour over the cornmeal: 1 ½ cups (355g) boiling water
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Step 3.
Stir to make sure all the cornmeal is wet, then cover and let soak for 4 to 12 hours.
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Step 4.
Preheat the oven to 450°F with a 9-inch cast-iron skillet inside.
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Step 5.
Add to the soaked cornmeal and stir to incorporate: 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon salt
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Step 6.
Stir in: 2 large eggs; ½ to ¾ cup (120 to 185g) buttermilk
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Step 7.
Use the larger amount of buttermilk if the batter seems too thick after adding ½ cup. The batter should be fairly loose, almost like pancake batter. Remove the hot skillet from the oven and add: 1 tablespoon bacon fat, lard, or vegetable oil
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Step 8.
Swirl the fat around in the skillet to coat it, then pour in the batter. Be careful—it will sizzle dramatically. Return the skillet to the oven and bake until deep golden brown and firm, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn the corn bread out onto a plate and serve immediately.
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