I have to admit my cornbread recipe is pretty average. I use corn meal, and add in masa flour (1cup total for 8# lodge pan), and sometimes it's great, but I kind of eyeball it and it's pretty inconsistent, often too crumbly. My wife likes it with sugar so I add that (heresy growing up), an egg, and milk or buttermilk and oil for the cast iron pan.... If you've got a good recipe, I'd love to see it.
Key #1 for both recipes I'm giving you, preheat the oven. #2 don't overcook, the result is crumbling. #3 every oven is different, use an oven thermometer to make sure the oven isn't too hot, or crumbling cornbread.
Classic cornbread requires a cast iron skillet.
2½ cups coarse-grind cornmeal
1¼ teaspoons baking soda
1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
1 large egg
1⅔ cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons bacon fat, lard, or unsalted butter
Preheat oven to 375°. Set dry skillet over low heat to heat while you make the batter. Whisk cornmeal, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Make a well in the center and add egg and buttermilk, then whisk vigorously, starting in the center to incorporate egg and working your way out, until dry ingredients are incorporated and batter is smooth.
Increase heat to medium-high and add bacon fat to skillet. Swirl to coat bottom and sides of skillet. Whisk batter once more to reincorporate, then pour into skillet and smooth top (batter will sputter around edges).
Bake cornbread in oven until the edges are golden brown and the top is golden, cracked in places, and firm to the touch, 25–30 minutes. Let cool in the skillet at least 5 minutes before cutting into wedges. To please your wife's sweet tooth serve with honey butter.
The cornbread I make at home:
8 tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 c. honey give or take
2 eggs, room temperature
1 c. buttermilk, room temperature
1 c. coarse cornmeal
1 c. fine cornmeal
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tbsp. unsalted butter, melted (for brushing)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter an 8x8 inch glass or stainless steel baking pan, set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, sugar and honey. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, beating until the mixture is smooth. Add the buttermilk and mix to combine.
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, cornmeal, salt and baking soda. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring with a spatula or wood spoon until only a few lumps remain. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the spatula to create an even layer. Allow the batter to sit for 3 or 4 minutes before placing in the oven to bake.
Bake for 25-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. You may need to place a piece of foil over the top at the 20 minute mark to prevent over-browning. Remove from the oven, brush the top with butter and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
No substitutes for the butter milk. Use whole milk when making muffins.
I've made the first recipe over the banked hot ashes of an open fire, covered the skillet, turned it every eight minutes or so for even cooking, and it takes a bit longer, requires more eyeballing. Carrying a cast iron skillet while camping can be a pain to carry, but it's great for cooking on a fire, and doubles as a defensive weapon. You can always smack a bear on the nose with it. Never done so, but it can be. My wife tried to hit me with one once, but I took General Sun Tzu's advice, "Run like the hellhounds are on your tail."
