Basic Buttermilk Corn Bread

Prep 10 m Cook 25 m Ready In 35 m

It seems like every person I’ve ever known from the South has their own favorite way of making it and every way is different. (the distinguishing factor of Southern cornbread from say Yankee cornbread or any other cornbread is because it's eat outside of southern states) It is savory, not sweet, made mostly with cornmeal. Bacon drippings add flavor to the bread and help with seasoning the skillet besides browning the crust. (if using cast iron skillet best to preheat the skillet before adding the batter to the hot skillet)
Northern cornbread tends to be more cake-like with a finer crumb because of more flour. Southern cornbread is flavored with bacon grease more often than not cooked in a cast iron skillet. Do your own experimentation if you add sugar it intensifies the flavor of the cornmeal (the choice is yours as to whether or not to include it or not)
                                                   
Ingredients:                                                      

2 cups cornmeal
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Whisk together the cornmeal, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and egg in a bowl to form a batter.
Melt the butter in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, and swirl the melted butter all over the bottom and up the sides of the skillet. Let the butter heat until it gives off a faint toasted fragrance; pour the batter into the hot skillet.
Place the skillet into the preheated oven, and bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.