New Year's Cornbread

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •10-inch cast iron skillet, well-seasoned
• •Large mixing bowl
• •Medium mixing bowl
• •Whisk
• •Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
• •Heavy oven mitts

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat skillet in oven

   Position your rack in the center of the oven and set the temperature to 425°F. Place your cast iron skillet inside while the oven heats. This takes a full 20 minutes. Don't rush it. A properly heated skillet is the difference between ordinary cornbread and the kind people remember.

   If you don't own a 10-inch cast iron skillet, now is the time. No other pan delivers that crackling crust.
2. 2

   Combine dry ingredients

   In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda until thoroughly combined. Run your fingers through the mixture. You should feel no lumps. The color should be uniform, a pale gold flecked with the slightly darker cornmeal.

3. 3

   Mix wet ingredients

   In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk and eggs until the yolks are fully incorporated. The mixture should look smooth and slightly frothy. Add the 4 tablespoons of melted butter and whisk again. You'll see the butter form small pools and ribbons through the buttermilk. That's exactly right.

   Cold buttermilk straight from the refrigerator is fine here. The hot skillet compensates.
4. 4

   Prepare the hot skillet

   When your oven reaches temperature, carefully remove the blazing-hot skillet using heavy oven mitts. Set it on a heat-safe surface. Add the bacon drippings (or butter) and swirl to coat the bottom and sides. The fat should shimmer and smoke slightly. This is not a gentle process. You want that sizzle.

5. 5

   Combine batter quickly

   Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula, using no more than 15 to 20 strokes. The batter should look slightly lumpy and rough. Overmixing develops gluten and produces tough, dense bread. Stop when you no longer see dry streaks of flour.

6. 6

   Pour into hot skillet

   Immediately pour the batter into the hot, greased skillet. It will crackle and hiss around the edges. This is the sound of the crust forming. Use a spatula to spread the batter evenly if needed, but work fast. Every second the skillet sits on your counter, it's cooling.

7. 7

   Bake until golden

   Transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. The edges will have pulled slightly away from the sides of the pan, and the surface will have cracked in places. These cracks are beautiful. Don't fear them.

8. 8

   Rest and serve

   Let the cornbread rest in the skillet for 5 minutes. This allows it to set and makes slicing easier. Run a butter knife around the edge, then invert onto a wooden board or serving plate. Or serve it right from the skillet, cut into wedges, with a pat of soft butter melting into each piece. In Southern tradition, serve alongside black-eyed peas, collard greens, and ham for a complete New Year's feast.

   The bottom crust is the prize. Make sure everyone gets a piece with that golden, crispy base.

Chef Tips

• •Stone-ground cornmeal has more texture and corn flavor than the degerminated kind. Look for it at farmers markets or order from a Southern mill. Bob's Red Mill makes a respectable version available in most grocery stores.
• •Save your bacon drippings in a jar in the refrigerator. They keep for months and add a savory depth no butter can match. This is the traditional fat for New Year's cornbread.
• •For larger gatherings, double the recipe and use two skillets, or bake in a 9x13 pan. The pan won't produce quite the same crust, but it feeds a crowd efficiently.
• •Leftover cornbread crumbles beautifully into tomorrow's dressing or stuffing. Nothing goes to waste.
• •In Southern tradition, the person who finds the largest piece of crust will have the most prosperity in the coming year. Cut your wedges accordingly.

Advance Preparation

• •Dry ingredients can be whisked together and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Label it so you remember the proportions.
• •Wet ingredients can be combined (except the melted butter) up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerated. Add the melted butter just before mixing with dry ingredients.
• •Bacon drippings can be rendered and stored refrigerated for up to 3 months. Warm gently before using.
• •Baked cornbread keeps, wrapped in foil, at room temperature for 1 day. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes to restore the crust. Beyond a day, the texture suffers. Plan to bake fresh.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 115g)