My aunt's 'secret' cornbread recipe cost me $40 and a burnt pan

So my aunt always said her cornbread was special because she used a specific cast iron skillet she bought on a trip to Savannah. I finally tracked down the same exact brand online, paid $40 plus shipping. Turns out, the 'secret' was just preheating the skillet with a bit of oil before the batter goes in, which you can do with any old pan. Mine warped in the oven and now I'm out the cash. Anyone have a good cornbread recipe that doesn't require a special purchase?

3 comments

3 Comments

hall.alex29d agoMost Upvoted

Got the same skillet story from my grandma. Her trick was putting a tablespoon of bacon grease in the hot pan right before the batter. Makes the edges crazy crispy. Honestly, any heavy pan you already own works if you get it screaming hot first.

jason_stone2d ago

Alex is totally right about the bacon grease, that stuff is magic for flavor. The real key is getting your fat smoking hot so the batter sizzles when it hits the pan, that's what gives you the crispy crust. A well seasoned cast iron is great for that, but any oven safe pan that can take the heat will work. Your pan probably warped because it was too thin or the temperature changed too fast. For a recipe, just use the basic one on the cornmeal box but swap in some buttermilk if you have it.

blakecampbell29d ago

Honestly that preheating trick is the real deal though, it's not just some story. My mom does the same thing and the crust is always perfect. Maybe the pan you got was just a bad one, or it got too hot too fast? I mean, @hall.alex is right about any heavy pan working, but a good cast iron holds heat in a way that's hard to beat. It sucks yours warped, that's a total bummer. For a recipe, I just use the one on the cornmeal bag and add an extra egg for some moisture.

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