Possumblog

To return the erring to the way.

Since I pretend to be an authority on all things, and most particularly upon matters pertaining to things Southern, and even MORE particularly, things Southern that people put inside of their mouths, I am often called upon to gently guide the culinary lost sheep of this nation to a more proper understanding of the proper manner and method of cooking various dishes, or, failing in that effort, to smite all upon the infidels with a big skillet who don't do things right.

SUCH IS THE CASE with one Miss Diane, quilter and Wisconsonian who this past Sabbath got herself a powerful hankering for some cornbread.

Alas, I was too late to save her from committing an abomination before the Lord, but it is my hope that we can get her back upon the straight and narrer when it comes to this most humble and earthy of comestibles.

AND THUS ONCE MORE, we embark upon our sermon for the day:

How to Cook Cornbead

I would ask the congregation to click to The Website of Jane Linton and the chapter entitled "Cornbread."

Now let us read: Ask ten Southern cooks and you'll get ten different recipes for making cornbread. But one ingredient a true Southern cook will not include in her, or his, recipe is sugar....

And amen.

Miss Jane has several recipes for cornbread, but this one is about what I make:

BASIC SOUTHERN CORNBREAD

Country Style

2 cups of self-rising cornmeal
2 eggs beaten
2 cups buttermilk
2 Tablespoons bacon drippings, melted, or veg. oil

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Grease your 9-inch skillet with about 2 tablespoon of shortening or oil (Use bacon drippings instead if available). Leave oil in bottom of pan.

Place pan in oven to heat.

Combine cornmeal, 2 eggs, buttermilk, and the melted bacon drippings. Mix well. I find a whisk does this nicely. Pour into hot skillet. Batter will sizzle.

Bake at 450 degrees for 35 minutes or until golden brown. Serves 6 to 8

Hint: Sprinkle a little cornmeal in the hot pan before adding the batter. It will brown and add a crispier texture.

That's it. One thing must not be overlooked, however--the skillet. Scroll down Miss Jane's page to see how to properly season a skillet, and yes, you pretty much have to use a cast iron skillet, which is what the Lord gave unto Moses right after he gave him that big stone cookbook.

Of all the things, the skillet is the thing that is the most important because that's the only way you get that crunchy crust all around. It does have to be fully hot before you pour in the batter, and the more you use it the better it will get. As the instructions say, don't wash it with soap and water--you wipe it out with a paper towel. If you just can't stand the idea of not getting it any less than spotless, you can use a little cornmeal for grit to clean it with. But let's face it--if you heat it up to 450 degrees, nothing's going to live on it that'll hurt you.

Use a good quality iron, too. I've got a set of cheap Chinese skillets and although they're okay, the surface is a bit too rough to take a good seasoning. Once my mother dies, though, her skillet is the first thing I'm stealing from her--she's got a good one that's almost as old as she is.

Now, for those of you who just can't leave well enough alone, do what you will, but realize it makes the angels cry when you get that sugar scoop out.

We ask those of you who've been doing that which is unseemly to repent of your sinful ways. Or I'll hit you with a skillet.

Posted by Terry Oglesby at October 24, 2006 01:45 PM