The Native Floridian – Wayne Roth Photography

There are so many variations of this I do not know where to start.  So let’s start with the cast iron skillet.  The best cornbread is made in a cast iron skillet that has been preheated to 425 degrees for at least 10 minutes.  This allows the cornbread batter to start cooking and even fry a little when it is poured into the very hot skillet.

Ingredients

• 1/8″ olive oil or vegetable oil or Crisco or good old fashioned lard
• 1 egg

• 1-1/2 Cups Martha Whites Self Rising corn meal (sometimes I use 1 cup cornmeal and 1/2 cup self rising flour for a different texture)

• 1 cup milk or almond breeze or buttermilk(is the best)

• 1/4 – 3/4 cup minced sweet onion (optional but I rarely leave this out! It really makes it sweet and moist)

• 1/2 cup sweet whole corn (optional)

• 1 tablespoon sugar (optional if I want it a little sweet and if I did not have any onions for the mix)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees with a cast iron skillet containing 1/8″ of oil for 10-12 minutes.  (Reduce preheat time if grease start smoking)
2. Mix all ingredients.  Keep in mind that these are just guidelines and modify up or down to get a consistency that can be poured like thick pancake batter.
3. Batter should sizzle a little when poured in oil just like frying a piece of chicken on low heat.
4. It takes about 20 minutes depending on how large the mixture, and how wet or dry the mixture is.   Just poke around in the middle to make sure it has cooked through and you are done.