Some good ones to try. Thanks

IMO its hard to beat Martha Whites Mexican cornbread mix. I cannot do sweet cornbread so this isn't sweet cornbread.

On occasion when I am up for a little spicier I will slide in 6 or 7 pickled jalapeno slices. When placed right each slice of cornbread will have one slice of jalapeno in it.

https://www.amazon.com/Gladiol...0da017fa6a81b82&th=1

My wife made some last week. I’m not a fan of cornbread, but this was the best (for me).
She used a box of Krusteaz, we don’t usually have milk, so she used sour cream and a little water. Added jalapeños, and drizzled honey on top just before baking.
I know this isn’t what Jelrod is looking for, but I’d eat it weekly!

My simple recipe (NO SUGAR you Yankees ):

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
Use Crisco (or equivalent) and coat the inside of a 14" cast iron skillet.
3 cups white cornmeal (self-rising)
1 egg
2 tablespoons of salt
Buttermilk (or regular milk with some white vinegar added), enough to make the cornmeal mixture pourable.
Pour mixture into skillet and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove from oven and flip cornbread upside down onto a plate.
Serve and enjoy.

Use the one on the Martha White Hot Rize Cornbread mix bag.

The mixes aren't saving y'all much time as you're still getting out measuring cups, cracking eggs, mixing, greasing the cast iron, and still washing measuring and mixing accessories.

With the Quaker Yellow/White Corn recipe the only additional steps are measuring cornmeal, measuring flour, measuring salt, and measuring baking soda. Very little extra work, it's not that weird sweet flavor, and it'll actually rise (kind of hit/miss with Jiffy).

Been makin corn bread forever, for the heck of it recently picked up one of these. I always thought they weren't worth the trouble, but turned out to be kinda fun...here is the first batch using Jiffy, OK, but I'll be trying different, more authentic recipes in it.

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
The mixes aren't saving y'all much time as you're still getting out measuring cups, cracking eggs, mixing, greasing the cast iron, and still washing measuring and mixing accessories.

With the Quaker Yellow/White Corn recipe the only additional steps are measuring cornmeal, measuring flour, measuring salt, and measuring baking soda. Very little extra work, it's not that weird sweet flavor, and it'll actually rise (kind of hit/miss with Jiffy).

So easy, a caveman could do it.

quote:

Originally posted by sse:
Been makin corn bread forever, for the heck of it recently picked up one of these. I always thought they weren't worth the trouble, but turned out to be kinda fun...

Make brownies in them. Most likely you won't have to share.

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:

quote:

Originally posted by sse:
Been makin corn bread forever, for the heck of it recently picked up one of these. I always thought they weren't worth the trouble, but turned out to be kinda fun...

Make brownies in them. Most likely you won't have to share.

Let them harden up, toss in the pool at the country club....

Some of these responses mention putting the cast iron skilled on the stove top. Can you cook on the stove top without the oven? What heat level, if any?

quote:

Originally posted by c1steve:
Some of these responses mention putting the cast iron skilled on the stove top. Can you cook on the stove top without the oven? What heat level, if any?

I think that is to preheat the cast iron pan and oil before pouring in your mixture then putting in the oven. I've done that a time or two. Hray

Cornbread experts, help please!

Made two batches of cornbread for an Easter Potluck. One with peppers, one with cheese.
Same issue with both batches...although cooked to have a very toasted looking exterior all over, the center was almost raw. The first batch was put into two cast iron pans, so they were a bit thinner. Cooked at 375 for 30 mins. The second was slightly smaller batch, so I put it into a single pan. Knowing it would be thicker, I upped the temp and time to 400 and 35 mins.

Same issue with both. I put 6tbs butter in pans before the batter. I tested with toothpicks, all came out dry. 5 mins cooling, the flipped out of pans the center stuck to bottom revealing that the dead center of cake was raw. The remaining in pans actually came out very easy. The upper half of the center seemed cooked, perhaps why toothpick tested ok.


To give an idea of scale. Both pans 8" diameter. Raw was about 3" dia in center. 1st batch came out about 2" thick, with 1/2" of raw layer about 1/2" from bottom. 2nd was about 3" thick with 1/2" raw about 1/2" from bottom.

Since it was cooked well around the perimeter, I cut out the center and tossed that portion.

Any tips for this issue would be appreciated.

quote:

Originally posted by TRIO:
Cornbread experts, help please!

Not sure I qualify as an expert, but I have successfully made corn bread a number of times.

Two thoughts. First, I use 425 degree oven, and scanning through the other recipes in this thread, it looks like most people use higher temperatures than you did. Secondly, I wonder if you pre-heated your pan long enough.

A good observation... Warmed on the stove top. Pans were just hot enough to fry an egg, but not screaming hot like the oven temp.

quote:

Originally posted by TRIO:
A good observation... Warmed on the stove top. Pans were just hot enough to fry an egg, but not screaming hot like the oven temp.

Cast iron takes awhile to pre-heat. I put mine in the oven when it is cold and let the pan warm as the oven comes to temperature. Once the oven is at temperature, I let the pan stay another 10 minutes or so before I start to cook with it.

Since your reply, I Googled cake baking issues. One suggestion that was specific to center not being done was to place item lower in oven to slow the outside cooking.

Like I mentioned, was puzzled as outside looked almost like it was close to burning. Very brown toasted on top. The sides pulled away from the pan. I had a great 3/16" even crust from the pan.

Only two things different from my previous cornbreads. 1st was the addition of creamed corn. Some recipes call for 14 oz. I only added 8 oz. If this was the issue, I'll skip the creamed corn. 2nd was that the pan that had the issue was a Dutch oven. Could the high side walls vs a frying pan be an issue? This was the first time using the Dutch oven that way.

I did see someone mentioned a sprinkle of corn meal in pan before batter. Helps reduce sticking. Next time, I'll heat pans in oven, instead of stove top, as you suggested.

I use the DrDan method to heat my pan, and the Alton Brown Creamed Cornbread Recipe linked below. Moist, but no flour.

Creamed Cornbread Recipe

Not to derail this.

Why is southern cornbread made without sugar while the iced tea is so sweet as to make my teeth hurt? This is quite the opposite of the northern counterparts.

quote:

Originally posted by DrDan:

quote:

Originally posted by TRIO:
A good observation... Warmed on the stove top. Pans were just hot enough to fry an egg, but not screaming hot like the oven temp.

Cast iron takes awhile to pre-heat. I put mine in the oven when it is cold and let the pan warm as the oven comes to temperature. Once the oven is at temperature, I let the pan stay another 10 minutes or so before I start to cook with it.

^^ THIS ^^

I toss my cast iron skillet in the oven and then start the preheat. It's thicker than the oven grates so the last thing to come up to temp do additional preheat time is warranted.