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Table of Contents

  • Regular vs cast iron skillet cornbread
  • How to make cornbread in a cast iron skillet
  • Recipe: Northern-Style Cornbread
  • Recipe: Southern-Style Cornbread
  • Tips for making the best cast iron skillet cornbread
  • How to keep cornbread from sticking to cast iron?

Regular vs. Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread

While you could technically make cornbread in any oven-proof pan, if you’re looking for the classic qualities of a great cornbread (aka a crunch crust with a fluffy interior), then your best bet is to make cornbread in a cast iron pan.

What makes cast iron cornbread so different? The secret lies in the high heat retention of cast iron: compared with other metals, cast iron can hold a lot more heat. Preheating your pan in the oven, getting it piping hot, then pouring your cornbread batter in makes for an immediately crispy crust. (Something like a round cake pan is usually made from aluminum, and can’t hold that much heat even with pre-heating.) Adding your cornbread batter into a searing hot pan also adds an extra depth of flavor—you get a toasted, slightly nutty, thin outer layer of crust. And at the same time, the interior of the cornbread becomes extra fluffy, thanks to the immediate influx of heat and steam.

An extra bonus: Baking cornbread is actually good for your cast iron skillet too! Cast iron is naturally nonstick thanks to seasoning, a layer of polymerized oil that builds up on the skillet surface with time and use (and plenty of oil). Since cornbread recipes rely on oil, fat or butter for their tender crumb, they’re great for adding a nice new layer of seasoning to your pan.

How to make cornbread in a cast iron skillet

Cast iron cornbread recipes can differ depending on where you are, and how traditional you want to get (everyone’s family has a different recipe). If you prefer a sweet cornbread, try our Northern-style cornbread recipe, or if you like your cornbread a little more savory (and more crumbly!), then go for the Southern-style.

Northern-style cornbread (right) is known for its sweet flavor and more cake-like texture.

Recipe: Northern-Style Cornbread

Yield: 4 to 6 servings
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Ingredients

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon honey

1 large egg

1 ear of corn, kernels removed (about ¾ cup kernels)

Tools

Field No.8 Skillet

 

Resources

The Field Method for Cast Iron Care

Instructions

1.

Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and place a No.8 (10 1/4 -inch) cast iron skillet on the rack. Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a small saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over low heat and set aside to cool.

2.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate small bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg, honey, and the cooled melted butter until well combined. Add the wet ingredient mixture to the dry ingredients and whisk gently until combined, being careful not to over mix. Gently fold the corn kernels into the batter with a rubber spatula.

3.

Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet and swirl to evenly coat the bottom and all sides. Pour the batter into the hot, buttered skillet and use a rubber spatula to smooth the top. Return the skillet to the oven and bake until the top of the bread is lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center, about 20 minutes.

4.

Allow the cornbread to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Recipe: Southern-Style Cornbread

Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Print Recipe

Ingredients

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 large egg

1 ear of corn, kernels removed (about ¾ cup kernels)

Tools

Field No.8 Skillet

 

Resources

The Field Method for Cast Iron Care

Instructions

1.

Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and place a No.8 (10 1/4 -inch) cast iron skillet on the rack. Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a small saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over low heat and set aside to cool.

2.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate small bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg, and the cooled melted butter until well combined. Add the wet ingredient mixture to the dry ingredients and whisk gently until combined, being careful not to over mix. Gently fold the corn kernels into the batter with a rubber spatula.

3.

Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet and swirl to evenly coat the bottom and all sides. Pour the batter into the hot, buttered skillet and use a rubber spatula to smooth the top. Return the skillet to the oven and bake until the top of the bread is lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center, about 20 minutes.

4.

Allow the cornbread to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Tips for making the best cast iron skillet cornbread

1.

The most important tip for perfecting your cast iron cornbread is preheating the pan. While you might be tempted to skip this step, it really does make a big difference. Pouring your cornbread batter into a searing hot skillet allows you to immediately create a thin, crispy crust on the outside of the cornbread, while also helping the interior rise.

2.

Make sure you melt butter in your pan before adding the cornbread batter in. This accomplishes two things: First, it helps season your pan! You’ll end up with a nice coat of butter on all sides of your pan, which turns into seasoning as the cornbread cooks. Second, this is what creates that buttery, crumbly exterior that’s so characteristic of cornbread. Instead of just including butter in the batter itself, you’re also baking the cornbread in an extra layer of buttery flavor.

3.

Use fresh corn kernels. While canned or frozen corn is certainly easier, fresh kernels make all the difference when it comes to flavor, and they’re also less likely to bog down your cornbread with extra moisture.

4.

Work quickly. As soon as you add your buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients, the leaveners (baking soda and baking powder) will start working. This process should take place in the oven, so don’t fully mix your batter until your skillet is preheated and ready for baking.

5.

Look for quality cornmeal. Like all ingredients, fresher is better. If you’re able to find stone ground cornmeal, that’ll likely be best. If you’re able to buy cornmeal from a local mill, that’s even better! And if you’re using cornmeal that’s been open for a while, make sure you smell it first: cornmeal that’s still good should smell slightly sweet, while rancid or stale cornmeal will smell more sour.

6.

Store your cornbread properly. The most important thing here is to not store your cornbread in your cast iron skillet. Cornbread can hold a lot of moisture, and storing it in your cast iron risks developing rust. Instead, to help your cornbread stay fresh as long as possible, keep it in an airtight container or plastic wrap, and store in your refrigerator for up to a week.

How to keep cornbread from sticking to cast iron?

Any good cornbread recipe (like ours above!) will call for you to heat butter or another fat in your pan before adding in batter. When melting butter in your pan, make sure you coat all sides of the skillet. This will ensure you have an evenly crisp, butter crust all around your cornbread, and will help your cornbread easily slip out of the pan after baking.

Preheating your pan is also a necessary step for preventing any stickiness: your goal is to not just warm your skillet up, but make sure that it’s searing hot before baking the cornbread. If your butter doesn’t sizzle when you put it in your pan, then it’s probably not hot enough. Your skillet should be heated to about 400°F before it’s ready for baking.

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