This recipe comes from Ann Parker, a Georgia native and longtime food writer and restaurant reviewer for the Santa Cruz Sentinel. In her soft Southern drawl, Ann shared the secrets passed down from her mother: stone-ground cornmeal, tangy buttermilk, and a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet. She recommends Yelton’s or Tenda-Bake self-rising cornmeal, though her favorite is the harder-to-find Perkerson’s. The recipe can be halved for a smaller skillet, but nothing beats a big, golden skillet of true Southern cornbread.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups self-rising cornmeal
2 eggs, beaten
3-4 tablespoons cooking oil or melted butter
2 cups buttermilk, approximately
*If using plain cornmeal, add ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 tbsp baking powder, and 1 teaspoon baking soda.
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 450°F. Generously oil a large 10-inch cast-iron skillet and place it in the oven to heat while you prepare the batter. The skillet should be very hot before adding the batter.
In a medium bowl, place cornmeal. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs with oil or butter. Stir into the cornmeal, then add enough buttermilk to make a thick but pourable batter with a glossy “shine.”
Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and pour in the batter—it should sizzle as it hits the pan, creating a crisp crust. Reduce oven temperature to 425°F and bake 40–45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the edges pull away from the skillet.
Let cornbread rest in the skillet on a cooling rack for about 5 minutes before cutting. Serve warm with butter, honey, jelly, or apple butter. Leftovers are excellent toasted under the broiler for breakfast.
SOURCE: Recipe courtesy of Ann Parker’s mother, Cynthia Parker, Athens, GA
