Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread
A savory, Southern-style cornbread with a deeply browned, crisp bacon-fat crust and a tender, tangy crumb from buttermilk. Pouring the batter into a smoking-hot skillet is the key to the crunchy edges.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Wait
- 10 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Makes
- 1 cornbread in a 10-inch skillet (8 wedges)
Steps
Before you start
- Take the buttermilk and eggs out of the fridge about 30 minutes ahead so the batter doesn't cool the hot fat and the crust stays crisp.
- Set an oven rack in the center position and have a sturdy oven mitt ready. The skillet handle gets extremely hot.
- Bacon drippings should be liquid or soft and strained of burnt bits. You'll get about 6 tablespoons from roughly 1 pound (450 g) of bacon.
- Mix the batter while the skillet heats. The skillet needs about 15 minutes in the oven, and the batter comes together in about 10.
Heat the skilletOven 450°F / 230°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven.
- Place the empty 10-inch cast iron skillet on it and heat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
- Leave the skillet in while you mix, so it heats for at least 15 minutes.
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Ready when: The oven has reached 450°F (230°C) and the skillet has been inside for at least 15 minutes.
Tip: Don't skip the hot skillet. A cold pan gives a pale, soft crust.
Whisk dry ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar (if using), baking powder, baking soda and salt for 30 seconds, until evenly combined and no lumps of baking soda remain.
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Ready when: The mixture is uniformly pale yellow with no streaks or clumps.
Whisk wet ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until the yolks and whites are fully blended.
- Whisk in the buttermilk, then the 3 tablespoons (40 g) of cooled bacon drippings for the batter.
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Ready when: The mixture is smooth and uniform. Small flecks of fat are fine.
Tip: If the drippings are hot, cool them for a few minutes first or they can scramble the eggs.
Combine the batter
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients.
- Stir with a spatula or whisk about 10 strokes, just until no dry flour or cornmeal remains.
- The batter will be fairly thin and pourable.
- Don't overmix.
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Ready when: No dry pockets remain and the batter is pourable, like thick pancake batter. A few small lumps are fine.
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and makes the cornbread tough.
Grease the hot skillet
- Using oven mitts, carefully pull the skillet out onto the stovetop or a heatproof surface.
- Add the 3 tablespoons (40 g) of melted drippings and tilt the pan to coat the bottom and about halfway up the sides.
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Ready when: The fat shimmers and ripples across the bottom of the pan.
Tip: Put a towel or silicone sleeve over the handle as a reminder that it's extremely hot.
Pour in batterOven 450°F / 230°C
- Pour the batter into the center of the hot skillet.
- It should sizzle loudly at the edges.
- Quickly tilt the pan to level the surface if needed, and return it to the center rack right away.
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Ready when: The batter sizzles audibly as it hits the pan and the edges begin to set.
Bake the cornbreadOven 450°F / 230°C
- Bake at 450°F (230°C) for 18 to 22 minutes.
- Don't open the oven door during the first 15 minutes.
- The cornbread is done when the top is deep golden brown, the edges have pulled slightly away from the pan, and a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
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Ready when: Deep golden top, edges pulling from the pan, toothpick comes out clean, center springs back lightly (about 200°F / 93°C inside).
Tip: If the top browns too quickly before the center sets, tent loosely with foil for the last 5 minutes.
Rest and serve
- Using oven mitts, move the skillet to a wire rack.
- Let the cornbread rest in the pan for 10 minutes so it firms up.
- Run a knife around the edge, then cut into 8 wedges and lift out, or serve directly from the skillet.
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Ready when: The crust is crisp and the center is set enough to hold its shape when cut.
Tip: The skillet stays dangerously hot for 30 minutes or more. Warn everyone at the table.
Good to know
Tips
- Use a pan that's seasoned well. A properly seasoned skillet releases the cornbread cleanly and doesn't stick.
- Medium or fine-grind cornmeal gives a tender crumb. Coarse stone-ground meal can make it gritty unless soaked in the buttermilk for 20 minutes first.
- Don't add sugar if you want a traditional Southern-style savory cornbread. The tablespoon here only helps browning.
- For the crispest bottom crust, serve it right out of the skillet. Leaving it in the pan after cooling can soften the base from trapped steam.
Make ahead
"Whisk the dry ingredients together and mix the wet ingredients separately up to 1 day ahead. Cover the wet mixture and refrigerate it, and keep the dry mix at room temperature. Let the wet mixture sit out for 30 minutes before combining, then bake as directed. Baked cornbread is also best on the same day but can be baked a day ahead."
Storage & reheating
"Room temperature: wrap tightly or cover and keep up to 2 days. Fridge: up to 5 days in an airtight container. Freezer: wrap wedges individually and freeze up to 3 months. Reheat wedges in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for a few minutes per side to re-crisp the crust."
Substitutions
- bacon drippings → unsalted butter, lard, or neutral oil. Butter browns quickly, so watch it closely. Lard gives the closest crisp crust. Oil works fine but is less flavorful.
- bacon drippings → melted unsalted butter. Gives a milder, richer flavor. Add an extra pinch of salt since drippings are salty.
- buttermilk → 1½ cups (360 ml) plain whole-milk yogurt thinned with 2 to 3 tablespoons of milk. Or add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to 1½ cups milk, rest 5 minutes. The batter will be slightly thinner.
- all-purpose flour → gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour. Makes the crumb a bit more fragile. Let the cornbread cool fully before slicing.
