This is the real stuff! Find your cast iron skillet and whip up a batch of cornbread tonight!
I live in Mississippi and know how true southern cooks make cornbread. Nobody I know uses plain cornmeal and all-purpose flour when SELF-RISING Cornmeal MIX is on the shelf ready for the skillet in minutes. Every brand I've seen has a recipe for Buttermilk Cornbread on the side of the bag that is very close to how everyone makes it. Jason is correct: nobody adds sugar to cornbread. Leave it out. I've never heard of a whole cup of butter or margarine added before baking. That's 2 sticks people, and this is not supposed to be cake. 4 cups of buttermilk is way, way too much. Last of all, it's OK to use corn or other veggie oil, especially if you are vegetarian or have health issues that would preclude using pork drippings. So here's my recipe: 2 cups self-rising cornmeal mix 1 1/2 to 2 cups buttermilk 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1/4 cup bacon drippings Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Add bacon drippings to a well-seasoned 9-inch cast iron skillet and place in oven while it preheats. Combine eggs and buttermilk in a medium size mixing bowl, add the cornmeal mix and blend thoroughly. Remove the hot skillet from the oven, pour the hot drippings into the cornbread batter, then stir to quickly incorporate it. Pour the mix back into the skillet, and bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Slather on all the butter you want and eat it while it's hot. You won't stop with one slice.
Read MoreThis makes ok cornbread but it's not a traditional Southern recipe which never uses flour. Additionally, Southern cornbread uses bacon grease (or vegetable oil) and not butter. Also, if you use self-rising cornbread you will not need all of that baking soda. Last of all, there seemed to be too much buttermilk.
Read MoreI live in Mississippi and know how true southern cooks make cornbread. Nobody I know uses plain cornmeal and all-purpose flour when SELF-RISING Cornmeal MIX is on the shelf ready for the skillet in minutes. Every brand I've seen has a recipe for Buttermilk Cornbread on the side of the bag that is very close to how everyone makes it. Jason is correct: nobody adds sugar to cornbread. Leave it out. I've never heard of a whole cup of butter or margarine added before baking. That's 2 sticks people, and this is not supposed to be cake. 4 cups of buttermilk is way, way too much. Last of all, it's OK to use corn or other veggie oil, especially if you are vegetarian or have health issues that would preclude using pork drippings. So here's my recipe: 2 cups self-rising cornmeal mix 1 1/2 to 2 cups buttermilk 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1/4 cup bacon drippings Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Add bacon drippings to a well-seasoned 9-inch cast iron skillet and place in oven while it preheats. Combine eggs and buttermilk in a medium size mixing bowl, add the cornmeal mix and blend thoroughly. Remove the hot skillet from the oven, pour the hot drippings into the cornbread batter, then stir to quickly incorporate it. Pour the mix back into the skillet, and bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Slather on all the butter you want and eat it while it's hot. You won't stop with one slice.
If you're looking for a really good cornbread recipe, don't overlook this one. Half the recipe bakes beautifully in a 10" skillet. I confess I did add 2 tablespoons of sugar to half the recipe (my personal preference), substituted unsalted butter for the margarine, and doubled the salt. Also important to stir wet ingredients into dry only until moistened. A somewhat lumpy consistency is okay. Don't overmix if you want the bread to be tender. A well-seasoned cast iron skillet is a must for this recipe. Preheat as directed and use a generous amount of oil to prevent sticking -- enough to have a slight puddle in the bottom before the batter is poured in. Also helps to sprinkle some cornmeal over the oil. The batter should sizzle and sort of "fry" when poured in. This recipe is very moist, tender, and flavorful when properly prepared. Perfect with purple hull peas, turnip greens, and other traditional southern favorites. Thanks, Jason.
This makes ok cornbread but it's not a traditional Southern recipe which never uses flour. Additionally, Southern cornbread uses bacon grease (or vegetable oil) and not butter. Also, if you use self-rising cornbread you will not need all of that baking soda. Last of all, there seemed to be too much buttermilk.
Growing up a true Southern Belle, this is the first thing my mother taught me to make. As most southern cooks know, a well seasoned cast iron skillet is a requirement, and bacon grease is a must. Also, we heat our skillets in a preheated oven instead of on top of the stove. I always use self-rising flour, and pour a bit of the heated grease into the mixture. The only time I have used margarine is for buttering the top of the bread after it comes out of the oven. It is a true southern treat!
This cornbread has a very good texture. Not too grainy and most of all does not taste like cake. Rises well and looks good.
I never thought I would find a recipe for southern cornbread anywhere on-line. Everyone always adds sugar, and being southern we just don't do sweet cornbread too well. It is fantastic. Just a note: When using buttermilk to cook the inside gets done, but it is more moist and some people mistake that for not being done...Love it thanks...
A very good, old fashioned cornbread. Easy to cut in half for smaller batch.
Are you my Southern Grandma is disguise? I have been searching (without success) for years since losing my dear grandma for a recipe for her delicious cornbread. Thanks to you I got it! Californians don't know how to make real southern unsweetened cornbread! I will treasure this one!
Wow that's a LOT of butter. Cooking time took less than indicated, and it is more like cake than bread. Light and airy, but way too buttery.
I was so happy to find this recipe. The only one I had was my mother's but my husband and I always found it WAY too dry. This one is perfectly moist and not too sweet like most corncakes trying to pass as cornbread. It is a little bland, but has much more flavor than most. Be careful to watch it while it's on the stove. AS SOON as it starts bubbling, take it off. If it bubbles even just a little too long, you risk burning the bottom. If you half this recipe, it fits perfectly in a 10" pan.
You lost me with the flour; that's not TRUE southern cornbread. It's never seen flour or sugar!
I think this is a great simple and classic cornbread recipe. I hate dry cornbread, and this one is very moist! My whole family loved it. It was perfect with the "Terry's Texas Pinto Beans" recipe on this site. I took the advice of another reviewer and adjusted the cornmeal to flour ratio, to avoid the "cakey" factor, and I'm glad I did...2 & 1/2 cups cornmeal and 1 & 1/2 cups flour was perfect to me. I didn't have a cast-iron skillet so I just used a 9x13 metal pan and baked on 400 for 40 minutes instead. Will definitely make again! Thanks, Jason!
This is the closest to real Southern Cornbread that I've been able to find. I must agree with Janine and say that we NEVER put butter or margarine in our cornbread, except on top, after it's done, and I always use self-rising flour, so I don't need the salt or baking powder. I just use cornmeal, flour, 1 egg, and buttermilk, or better yet, corn meal mix from my native South Carolina and then the flour isn't even needed. Oh yeah, whenever I hear of someone putting sugar in cornbread, I call it "cornbread cake".
I was raised on real southern cornbread. (no sugar!!) and made with white cornmeal. (finer grain than yellow) so good with a nice pot of beans or greens.
When making cornbread, butter can always be replaced with cooking oil. If cooking in a cast iron skillet, make sure the skillet is "seasoned" or the bread will stick. Good southern cooks never use their cornbread skillet for anything alse. It should never be washed, only wiped, else it will have to be re-seasoned.
Anne Marie Sweden I grow up in south east Kentucky and my Grandma made corn bread this way eccept for the butter which we put on the hot cornbread after it was out of the oven. she lived till she was 101 years before she died, Yes some Hillbillies used bacon fat, but true country corn bread is made with just about any rendered fat on hand. Plus the flour was used from 1800 to now which made the corn bread lighter.
Thank goodness! Finally a REAL cornbread recipe that doesn't call for sugar. I mean we southern folks love our sugar (especially in tea) but NOT in our cornbread. Cornbread is a meal you know. Thanks so much for posting this recipe. I would not change it one smidgin!
I am from the south, and while this is not necessarily traditional southern cornbread, it is very good. I needed a large batch for a group, and everyone loved this recipe. It is much richer and denser than most recipes though, and it makes a huge pan - I used a 9 x 13 baking dish, and it was almost too small. To address some of the other comments: yes, many recipes for southern cornbread use flour - usually half flour and half cornmeal - makes it softer than using cornmeal alone. Yes, many recipes for southern cornbread use sugar - some people think it is a requirement to have a little sugar. And yes, while there are plenty of self-rising mixes available, a lot of people still bake "from scratch" and make our own cornbread, biscuits, and bread!! Just a matter of preference and convenience.
The very best recipe for real southern cornbread this Michigan girl has ever tasted. Our Pastor from North Carolina LOVES it!
Great recipe! Really similar to the cornbread my grandmother used to make. She had to alter her recipe in the 60's due to health reasons, and so she always made it with vegetable or corn oil instead of bacon fat. This makes a VERY large amount! I cut the recipe in half and still had enough to make Thanksgiving dressing. If you don't have an iron skillet, you can let the batter set up in the bowl for about 20 minutes, and preheat your greased baking pan in the oven for a few minutes prior to pouring in the batter. I personally don't like cornbread sweet for supper, but I DO put in about an 1/8 tsp just to counteract any slight bitterness the cornmeal may have.
The crust formed by following this recipe is fantastic. Still, this is not The One. Needs more salt, I think. I cut the recipe in half and cooked/baked in an 8x8 pan and that was just the right size for about 6 very large servings or 9 regular size servings.
this recipe is awesome and i've made it before but last night i decided to switch it up a little bit. instead of using 4 cups buttermilk i did 2 cups, plus one 14.75 oz. can of creamed corn and threw in about 1/2 a cup shredded cheddar cheese. all i have to say is this, i have never had cornbread that moist before in my life.
Outstanding Recipe! I have made this several times. For extra flavor- try browning your cornmeal on a cookie sheet in your oven while heating up the skillet. It gives the cornbread a more robust flavor. It only takes about 3 to 5 minutes to brown.
This was really good. Unfortunately it rose a little too high and overflowed the pan a little. Cooked all the way through and was extremely moist inside. I loved it!
I really enjoyed this! Very easy to make. Great recipe for cornbread that isn't sweet. I halved the recipe and put it in a 10 inch skillet. I didn't heat the oil on the stove but in the oven. Heating hot oill on high heat on the stove sounds dangerous!
I've been looking for a cornbread recipe like my mother made when we were kids, and this is it! I cut the amount in half, and it fit nicely in my 8 inch skillet. I followed the recipe exactly and it made true, southern cornbread, with the buttermilk adding a nice tang to the taste! I did, however, find the texture and crust to be too "cake-like." I made it again, but changed the cornmeal to flour ratio from 1:1 to 2:1 (more cornmeal and less flour) and it was perfect, to me. Served it with a pot of brown beans and I was in heaven. If you like your cornbread unsweetened, then this is the recipe for you. Five stars and highly recommended!
This is GREAT cornbread. NO Sugar, the way it is supposed to be. I always wonder who decided cornbread is a desert???
I loved it; more importantly, my husband loves it. I don't know who says you don't use flour in cornbread, but they must not have grown up in Georgia. Half flour, and half corn meal. Regular flour--just like in this recipe and NO sugar. However, I try to remember to throw in one tablespoon of sugar just to stave off the slight bitterness of the cornmeal. I forgot this time, but no matter, it's a great recipe just as written. I didn't have corn oil today, used vegeable oil, but corn oil works and tastes better for cornbread. I'm having a cornbread tasting at my house, using several different recipes to find the one my husband likes best--he's a Cajun and he knows you don't put sugar in de cornbread. This one is in the lead.
The name of this is very misleading; there is just too much flour and buttermilk in the recipe. That being said, I liked that this was not sweet, but I found the texture to be way off. I will definitely use this recipe again, but will have to play with the amounts to get the texture / density of a true southern cornbread.
In order to make this recipe perfect, half the ingredients, and add 1/4 cup sugar.
I halved this recipe and cooked it in an 8x8 pan because I don't have a skillet. The bread turned out dense, rich, buttery and tangy. It was very good, however the buttermilk flavor was a little more than I am used to. Next time I will probably experiment with less buttermilk and a little regular milk to cut down on the tangy-ness. Overall, very good though, highly recommended.
I have been looking for a moist cornbread recipe forever. This one was perfect! I quartered the recipe and used a 6 inch skillet, it was the perfect amount for 3 people.
jason, thank you very much for a recipe w/out SUGAR. i have always left it out, cuz with sugar i call it johnnycake. thanks again, tab
WOW! I loved, loved this cornbread. The taste is fantastic with just butter, or with honey also. I used canola oil instead of butter (though it smoked when I added it to the pan, a higher heat-tolerence oil might work better), and used a rice flour based flour mix. I used 2 1/2 c corn meal, and 1 1/2 c flour. The crust is the BEST part of this bread!! I had extra dough that didn't fit in the cast iron pan, and baked it in muffin tins. Still tasted great, but I missed the amazing crisp and chewy crust.
Hubby made this tonight and it's delicious. Not sweet - which is how he likes it - but I like it sweet so we just glazed my piece with honey. Not sure what happened but we were able to make a full cast iron full, and another cast iron (divided for cornbread) full! Will cut in half next time.
WOW! After baking I realized that this recipe calls for no sugar. It is very spongy. But the flavor laggs. Thanks for the formula Jason.
This would be better if the cornmeal, flour combo was 1 1/2 cups of cornmeal to 1/2 cup flour...and cut the buttermilk in 1/2...way too runny
The taste was perfect...My first time making it confused me with having to bring it to a boil first before putting it in the cast iron skillet because there was a fine layer at the bottom of the saucepan that would pour into the cast iron before baking...Although it still turned out perfect, I was curious what I did wrong and if anyone has any ideas as to what I could do diffferent next time, please let me know! All in all, it had a wonderful taste!
I just omitted the baking powder and the buttermilk(didnt have any on hand, used 2% white milk) and didnt use the butter. Added a few teaspoons of sugar to even out the salty taste and it came out fantastic!!! I ate a slice with a tab of butter and a slice of fresh white onion. I live is Mississippi so this is as close as southern as it will get! =))
Guess I'm just a Northern girl (grew up in MI eating Jiffy cornbread), but trying to find a good non-sweet recipe now that we're living in Baton Rouge. This one didn't do it for me, but it was nice and fluffy.
This cornbread was great! I was looking for a recipe with no sugar. Definately a true southern style cornbread
This is great cornbread Jason! I hav not had such good cornbread since my mom passed away. I remember the first time I was served cornbread after moving to California. It was way sweet...I almost spit it out, but remembered my manners just in time. I don't know why people add sugar. Thanks for sharing. Nelly.
My husband had nagged me for 40 yrs that "Your cornbread is ok but not as good as "my mamma's". I tried so many recipes and never a winner. I decided to try this one and he and I both loved it!!! I can finally make fantastic cornbread. It's just the two of us so I cut the recipe by half. ENJOY! I forgot to mention I am Southern!!!
loved this - we added scant cup of old cheddar cheese as well. like others mentioned - its important to just mix the cornmeal mixture and liquid in so its lumpy not over mixed. I make these in a stoneware and spray it with cooking spray and heat in the oven whilst it is warming then pour batter in when it is hot and the oven is heated. Muffins only take mins to cook and freeze beautifully - warm up in oven later for fresh cornbread without the effort great recipe also great if you add jalapeno's for variation
This recipe did not work well for me at all. I ended up leaving it in the oven over an hour (the recipe said 40 min)and it was still very undercooked inside although the crust was hard. I was very disappointed after all the good reviews I read when I first decided to try it. I had to find another recipe.
This has to be the best cornbread I've ever tasted. The only thing that I did change was the baking powder to bicarbonate of soda (use exactly the same amount). I hope you enjoy this as much as I have.
BEST CORNBREAD EVER!! This is a big receipe. But just enough to feed my two large teenage boys and the family for a couple of meals. Ive tried this receipe a few different ways and the original receipe is the best. I tried self rising flour istead of plain flour becuause thats what I had and it was too salty. Then I tried the plain flour like it calls for and it was perfect. Also, this really does make a huge pan or cornbread so a 12 inch cast iron skillet is a must. Perfect Thickness! I dont however cook mine on top of the stove, what I do, is heat my skillet and oil in the oven while it warms and while im mixing the bread. Comes out perfect. So moist and buttery. This southern cornbread receipe will find any girl a husband lol
i did not care for this recipes.....use the recipe on the back of Aunt Jemima Self-rising Buttermilk cornmeal mix, and add 1 cup of buttermilk,1/2 cup water,1 tbsp. butter and 1tsp. sugar and you will have delicious cornbread......can make in iron skillet or muffin pan....
I don't have a cast iron skillet so I used a stainless steel one instead and it came out great. Really moist and good for people who don't care for sweet cornbread. great with chili!
True southern cornbread recipes may vary per family, but as far as I'm concerned this one was very well worth making and eating and there were no leftovers. The texture is great, and doesn't fall apart too much but isn't too cakey either. I added an extra tablespoon of oil to the batter itself, because I need the extra calories. It was still awesome. I'll add some bacon drippings next time, and maybe even a couple tablespoons of chopped jalapenos and cheddar for more of an entree style cornbread. I served it with a pot of pinto beans w/onion, and chopped pork rib meat. Delicious!
We really enjoyed this cornbread. The only corn flour I had was masa harina (white corn meal) but it had a great flavor! I like a little sweet so we added a couple tablespoons sugar to half the recipe. Also used bacon grease for the corn oil.
So far, I like this recipe best for the cornbread---a little moister than the other so it got the extra star!!
The only change I made was to halve this recipe. After baking over an hour it was still not cooked inside, but the outside was pretty brown. We ate what we could be it was pretty bland. If we put chunks of it IN the chili that was the only way it was palatable. Threw away the rest. Will not make this again.
I, being a Yankee, loved this recipie. Easy and not too sweet. My Husband, who swears by his mother's authentic Southwestern cornbread (a very similar recipie), did not like the texture- he said the texture was too much like the sweet cornbread. Oh well, I will make this again anyway, I loved it!
This is sooooo good. This will be my go-to cornbread recipe. Thanks for sharing it!
No sugar, yes!!!! Thank you! The thing about the flour well, I have always used it and my mother always used it, and her mother and grandmother used it. We are all from the south! I have always heard that southern corn bread is just minus the sugar, as we don't like cake cornbread. I made half the recipe and it was perfect. I wish I would have had a cast iron but it came out great anyway. I didn't have buttermilk, nor was I making it, so I used regular. Plus I don't want all the added fat. As for bacon grease comments, well go ahead if you want, just remember your fat content will be much higher. Substitute the butter for bacon grease problem solved. Personally I used a lower fat margarine, it came out great.
I thought I'd never again have cornbread like my mother used to make. I used butter instead of margarine and it turned out perfect. It brought back so many memories of her Missouri style cookin'. Thanks Jason!
great! also added some cheddar cheese chunks. they sink to where they're near the bottom and cook to make a delicious and cheesy crust.
Whoever says this isn't traditional southern cornbread is crazy! This is the best cornbread recipe I've ever used. Everytime I make it someone asks me for the recipe. I am always asked to provide the cornbread for chili get togethers too. I use regular milk instead of buttermilk most of the time but either way is great. This cornbread is so moist you don't even have to use butter! Highly recommended
Excellent! I have to disagree with @ginrose 's review. Each region of the South has their own version of southern cornbread. My grandma came from Texas and this is very close to what she made only with bacon drippings because they were poor. I, myself, grew up with bacon drippings in cornbread and bisquits but would gag on it now. I use half butter and half canola oil. I also use a couple of TBLSP of sugar and so did Grandma....she had been making it from her Grandma's recipe since she was a little girl so I am not sure when the sugar was added to the recipe but Grandma's recipe is well over 100 yrs. old.
I do realize this was posted many years ago however, I want to say THANK YOU!!!!! for posting it. My mom has be gone for some time now and then my house burned down. I didnt think I would ever get to taste her bread again...God Bless you for this. ITS THE BEST EVER, now I get to make her homemade stuffing for Thanksgiving & Christmas. I cant wait to share it with my boyfriend and my girls.... Once again.... THANK YOU!
Coming from a GA native, this is awesome Southern cornbread. Like everyone said, not sweet, but it isn't supposed to be. I have made this 2 times now, and followed every ingredient and direction. The obligation thing that has happened both times is that the bottom burns since I wait for the middle to bubble when I pour it on the skillet. Next time, I will pull it off and put it in the oven as soon as the sides bubble.
I cut the recipe in half cause I really dont need that much for a family of 3. I love this recipe though. For years I have asked my mom how to make cornbread and she told me a little of this and a little of that (she never measures) so I couldnt get it right. This is almost like hers but I think a lil better. :p Thank you!!!
Fantastic, goes with my chili well. Sweeter and more moist than I expected, but I was used to my x mother-in-law's, which was flat and more dry. I halved it and used canola oil, worked well.
You have to make sure you are using a 12 inch (big) cast iron skillet, or it won't get done. Otherwise, very good and my mom is a "southern belle" and has always cooked our cornbread in a cast iron skillet. Her recipe doesn't call for as much flour or buttermilk, but otherwise this is a good recipe too.
I was in a rush and threw this together. I made substitutions and mistakes, and it came out yummy and light as a feather. I halved all the ingredients, except the salt -- and baking powder? Oops. Substituted a milk/cottage cheese/sour cream concoction for the buttermilk. Subsituted spelt flour for the white flour and butter for the margarine. Substituted grapeseed oil (which won't break down at high heat) for the corn oil. Otherwise I followed directions! Will try it again with bonafide buttermilk and right amount of baking powder. Should be better than ever. Thanks for a great recipe!
One thing was left out for authenticity...just before adding the batter and prior to placing in oven....coat your skillet with sugar as you would flour. Only allow it to cool within 3-5 minutes and remove it from skillet so it doesn't have time to adhere,
I've enjoyed making this a few times. It is better with 1/2 cup butter instead of 1 cup of butter. I may try it with less next time.
Texture was too wet in middle and chewy on outside. Also thought the buttermilk flavor was too strong. Nobody in my family cared for. I know cornbread is a food that people get a strong taste preference for and this recipe just wasn't it for my family.
I'm an experienced cook, but I burned the heck out of this cornbread - not sure if high heat was a good idea. I'll try again but be sure to keep the heat med to med hi. Not a lot of flavor, but over cooking could have contributed. I'll try again because it was so easy!
This is a wonderful recipe. I tweaked mine a little bit.. added in some fresh corn kernels and 1 extra egg and lowered the cooking temp by 5 degrees. OMG. THE FLAVOR!
This is not good. It is not sweet at all and has a terrible baking soda after-taste. I would recommend looking for another recipe. It does look very nice, though.
Tried this corn bread using the exact recipe. Perfect! Had it with chilli and even with scrambled eggs. One of the best corn bread recipes for me. Amazing texture. perfect fit in skillet, did not overflow
I'm 55 years old and grew up on my Grandmother's cornbread in rural East TN. It was unsweetened, self rising and dry as a bone. I loved it. My wife would make cornbread when we were first married, and every now and then, it would have a fluffy texture but she couldn't duplicate it every time. This recipe is the best I've ever had and we make nothing else now. Thank you so much for setting us straight.
I would have left no stars if that was an option! PASS THIS ONE BY FOLKS!! I only used this because I couldn't find the one I normally use and the cooking was very similar: It's too fatty, calls for neither salt or sugar so it's quite bland and as dense as polenta- when cold it congealed. I had to blot the fat off the top before serving it and it was the low point of the meal. it's a waste of ingredients- don't bother!
I was so excited to find this recipe...cornbread in a cast iron skillet like my grandmother used to make when I was a little girl. I followed directions exactly and was disappointed in the results. It lacked something in the flavor department. I am not sure what...just not that tasty and flavorful. I will keep searching for a true old-fashioned southern cornbread recipe.
The end result of this one, though, was bland, had an odd texture, and somehow didn't improve even with butter. Come on! What doesn't get better with butter? ?? Anyhow, not a keeper for me. Back to Mamaw's!
It did make a big pone! I am not sure which part of the South this is from and so to each his own. I am from Louisiana and the buttermilk taste was too strong for me. Gonna keep searching.
I used bacon grease in place of the corn oil to grease the pan. I just put the pan in the oven while the oven preheated instead of heating it on the stove top and I added a teaspoon of baking soda to interact with the acidic buttermilk. It was tender and delicious, my southern husband was properly impressed. I did successfully downsize the recipe by half, it makes a huge amount.
Actually only made it to use for some stuffing for Thanksgiving but it looks great! Didn't use as much Buttermilk as the recipe suggested. Only used 3 cups. Plus, i didn't have a skillet to cook it in. But the foil pan worked fine. Next time, I'm gonna follow the recipe to the tee.
Finally a non-sweet cornbread that is moist. I made it to go in a stuffing but had trouble not eating it before time to make the stuffing.
