Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread

Cast iron gives cornbread a crisp, dark golden crust. (Bruce Peter/Shutterstock)

When Tamie Cook was growing up, there weren’t many days when her mom didn’t make a fresh pone of cornbread. Cook loved nibbling around the crispy edges. Her dad preferred his crumbled in a glass and covered with fresh buttermilk—a much-loved Southern tradition. Here is her recipe.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

• 1/4 cup melted bacon fat, divided
• 2 cups cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 eggs, room temperature, slightly beaten
• 2 cups buttermilk, room temperature, plus more if necessary

Place 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat in an 8-inch cast iron skillet and set in the oven while it heats to 425 degrees F.

Whisk together the cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a small mixing bowl. Whisk the eggs, buttermilk, and remaining bacon fat together in a medium mixing bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the buttermilk mixture and stir just until combined. The mixture should pour like pancake batter; if not, add a little more buttermilk.

Pour the batter into the hot skillet. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until the crust is dark, golden brown.

Recipe from Tamie Cook