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cornbread on plate

Basic Cornbread Recipe

Steve Hensley
Equipment:
• Mixing bowls and Utensils
• Cast Iron Skillet (See notes if you don’t have one available)

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cusp self-rising cornmeal
  • ¼ plus 2 tablespoons oil (lard, shortening, vegetable, pork fat)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups milk

Instructions
 

  • Preheat an oven to 400 degrees.
  • Place ¼ of oil into a clean and seasoned cast iron skillet (preferably 9”) and put it into the hot oven while you mix. 
  • Combine cornmeal, 2 tablespoons of oil, eggs, and 1 1/2 cups of milk. Mix until well combined, adding extra milk as needed if the mix is too dry. You want it to be the consistency of thick pancake batter, runny but not thin. 
    Cornbread batter
  • Remove the cast iron skillet and oil from the oven. It should be very hot. 
  • Pour your mixture into the hot oil. If the pan is hot enough it should sizzle. That is what makes the crispy crust on the sides and bottom. Leave at least 1 inch of space on top for the cornbread to expand. 
    Cornbread before baking
  • Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. The cornbread should be golden brown and set in the middle when it is done. 
    Cornbread after baking