Southern Buttermilk Cornbread is an iconic food in southern US cuisine.
We have definite opinions about bread. Biscuits are biscuits. Hushpuppies are hushpuppies. We don’t refer them as bread. We do call Hush Puppies shoes but this is a food blog not a fashion blog. We are talking about the edible hushpuppies. Sliced loaf bread is called light bread because it’s lighter than cornbread, the co-mother of all Southern breads. Cornbread shares top billing with biscuits. We grow corn, not wheat, making cornmeal more accessible for our ancestors than wheat flour. The use of corn in Southern cooking was heavily influenced by Native Americans. Flour was reserved for biscuits and sweets. Bread and roll making took a backseat to cornbread and biscuit making.
Cornbread takes on different forms. Hot Water Cornbread is cornmeal, hot water and salt. The cornmeal has no leavening which results in a thin, dense bread. The batter is dropped by spoonfuls into hot grease and fried quickly. Depending on the thickness of the batter, you can get cornbread nuggets that resemble the consistency of hush puppies (bread not shoe) or make the batter thin and the edges will spread out and take on a lacy appearance and get very crispy. A thick batter is used to make hand sized pones that are placed side-by-side in a cast iron skillet that has the bottom covered in a sufficient amount of fat. The pones are flattened with the back of a hand leaving finger indentations. They’re baked in a hot oven until crispy all over. Once they’re turned out on a serving plate, they are easily divided into individual pieces. Hot Water Cornbread can be made into a “cake” by pouring the batter into a hot skillet containing fat and baking until the top is browned. It’s turned out to a plate and, in rustic fashion, pieces are torn off instead of cut.
The top of the plate has the cornbread of medium consistency dropped into hot oil. The bottom shows lace cornbread which is made by thinning out the batter before dropping by spoonfuls into the oil. All the cornbread was made from the same batch of batter. The only difference was the consistency.
A “cake” of cornbread . Just pinch off a hunk!
The image that most people recognize as cornbread looks something like this:
That is fine-looking cornbread. The inside is moist, the top nicely browned. It smells heavenly baking in the oven. To both my grandmothers, this was known as Eggbread and it was made for the expressed purpose of becoming the main ingredient in dressing. Everyday cornbread was some form of Hot Water Cornbread. Perhaps the cost of the extra ingredients for this cornbread could be justified only for special occasions. Where I come from, many folks considered it a crime to put sugar in cornbread. They’re drop dead serious about it. They think if you put sugar in your cornbread batter it becomes cake, which is as confusing as heck since the Hot Water Cornbread made by the skilletfuls is called a “cake” of cornbread.
For a time, I convinced myself that I preferred Eggbread over Hot Water Cornbread. It had everything to do with my ill-fated attempt at being highfalutin and very little to do with my real taste preference. I’m eternally grateful to whatever it was that caused me to get down off my high horse. Eggbread is fabulous and has the right to all the fame and glory that comes its way. It will forever be the star ingredient in my dressing. Being true to my heritage and my personality, I’m back to cooking Hot Water Cornbread as our everyday bread. I did come to realize that I prefer the taste of a medium grind cornmeal instead of the fine grind that my family used. Medium grind has more flavor. The nostalgic side of me would love to use such familiar brands as Alabama King or J.T. Pollard both milled in Alabama. But I’ve grown attached to the flavor of Great Smoky Mountains Stone Ground Corn Meal. I’m at peace with that decision. Finally.
Southern Buttermilk Cornbread (AKA Eggbread)
yield: 6 to 8 servings
According to the law of the land, this recipe contains NO SUGAR. If you prefer sugar in your cornbread, add it along with the dry ingredients. Cooking oil can be substituted for bacon drippings if you feel you have to.
2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup self-rising flour
3 tbsp. bacon drippings
Whisk together buttermilk and eggs.
In a separate bowl, stir together cornmeal, flour, salt and baking soda. Add to wet ingredients and stir until well incorporated.
Add bacon drippings to a hot skillet. When bacon drippings are hot, pour in cornmeal batter.
Bake in a 425 degree preheated oven for 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Southern Buttermilk Cornbread
Ingredients
- yield: 6 to 8 servings
- According to the law of the land this recipe contains NO SUGAR. If you prefer sugar in your cornbread, add it along with the dry ingredients. Cooking oil can be substituted for bacon drippings if you feel you have to.
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
- 1/2 cup self-rising flour
- 3 tbsp. bacon drippings
Instructions
- Whisk together buttermilk and eggs.
- Stir cornmeal, flour, baking soda and salt. Add to wet ingredients and stir till mixed.
- Heat a cast iron skillet and add 3 tablespoons of baking grease.
- When bacon drippings are hot, pour in cornmeal.
- Bake in a 425 degree preheated oven for 25 minutes or until the top is brown.
Janet Beaman says
Cornbread! Ohhhhh my how I love cornbread!!! Your “egg bread” recipe is how I make regular cornbread….for the dressing I add sage, parsley, fresh ground black pepper and sometimes throw in a few other herbs/spices. I loved my mom’s cornbread. My dad would eat it in milk for a snack — he called it “poor man’s cereal!” My son thought it was something special to eat poor man’s cereal with his Pa Burt!
Jackie Garvin says
What a sweet story, Janet! I love that your Daddy called cornbread and milk “poor man’s cereal”. I’ve never heard it called that before. A lot of people would eat buttermilk and cornbread. 🙂
Mary Lancaster says
Now this is true cornbread I love your site so very much.
Jackie Garvin says
Thank you so very much, Miss Mary. We sure love having you visit! 🙂
Diana says
My family was from Tennessee & my Mother always made cornbread with egg & buttermilk. I do too, but I use the cornbread mix (with the leavening added). When Mother ate what I made she started using it too. We never put sugar in cornbread! When I make cornbread for dressing I add black pepper, sage & poultry seasoning. I use to beg my Mother to fry cornbread, we loved hoe cakes! When I married, I moved to TN, my Fil made fun of me being raised in Mich, till he happened in one evening & I was making hoe cakes & had a kettle of soup beans & a pan of fried taters. He tried a hoe cake, grinned & said your Mommy & Daddy raised a country girl in Michigan! He’s been gone over 30 years, but it still tickles me when I think of that. I love your posts & recipes, reminds me of cooking with Mother, she’s gone 21 years now, but with me each step I take. So thankful to have found your page.
Jackie Garvin says
Diana,
We sure are happy you found us! I absolutely loved the story of your FIL! I literally laughed out loud. 😉
Sarah Harlow says
I am so happy to find this blog and I have subscribed to it! I’m from Lake City, FL. Please tell me you do have a cookbook!!
Jackie Garvin says
Hi, Sarah! Welcome to Syrup and Biscuits. I’m sure proud to have you here.
I keep thinking and thinking and thinking about a cookbook. But I really wonder if we need one more Southern cookbook. Everybody and their granddaddy has one out now.
Kim Vos says
Recently I noticed my buttermilk cornbread wasn’t coming out right. I thought it to be just a mishap, but after about 5 loaves, I decided to look at the ingredients on the buttermilk carton. To my surprise I saw they are adding corn starch to it now. No wonder it wasn’t turning out right! For now, Ive been transplanted to Missouri and the only buttermilk available has corn starch added. My grandmother used to make her own by adding lemon juice to milk. Has anyone else used this type of buttermilk to make cornbread and how did it turn out?
Jackie Garvin says
Kim,
I’ve never heard of adding cornstarch to buttermilk and don’t understand the purpose for doing so. I immediately jumped up and checked the label of my preferred brand of buttermilk in my refrigerator. No cornstarch. Whew! You can add one tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to one cup of milk for a substitute. I do that in a pinch. It works fine.
Deb says
Ack. I just checked my buttermilk and NO cornstarch here, fortunately. Never heard of that before.
Born and raised in Alabama. Hubby (23 years now) introduced me to Martha White Self-rising Yellow Cornmeal Mix. LOVED it since the first time I made it (that’s what his Momma always used), and we use a recipe from the old telephone cookbook (the original yellow cookbook (Volume 1 of 4), still available on Amazon with over 500,000 in print) and it calls for buttermilk, and, egad, an egg, and sugar, but it’s not a sweet cornbread.
We have modified it to our preferences. We like two eggs, buttermilk, 2 T sugar, lots of finely chopped onions (some people add jalopenos, some people add niblets corn). I put 1 T bacon drippings or oil in the iron skillet, set it in the oven (500) and get it screaming hot (make sure your vent is on – if I forget I always set off the fire alarms). Mix 2 T bacon drippings or oil in the mix, but only mix wet ingredients (don’t over-mix) when the skillet is screaming hot. Quickly pull the skillet out of the oven, dump the cornbread mix in the skillet (it starts to bubble in that hot skillet) and put it quickly back into the oven for about 15 – 20 minutes. Comes out of the skillet with a beautiful brown crust and wonderful flavor.
Jackie Garvin says
It sounds you’ve got your technique down pat. That’s the key to making Southern quick breads, perfect a recipe to your liking. That thing about cornstarch in buttermilk is unreal.
Kim Vos says
It’s a brand called Highland. Unfortunately I’m living in Missouri for the time being, and Highland is the only dairy provider in SW MO.
Jackie Garvin says
Kim,
That is unfortunate and it makes me sad for you. There’s no reason to put cornstarch in buttermilk.
heyjude195430 says
I made cornbread for an English friend in Costa Rica. He had nevah heard of buttahmilk or coinbread, lave. (You have to imagine the aristocratic British accent.) We had it with the prerequisite black beans and rice we all ate tons of in Costa Rica. Even though I had to score packets of polenta from Panama to make my cornbread, it was still delicious. You can’t buy cornmeal in Costa Rica. It’s not part of their culture. They use hasa marina (corn flour) to make their tortillas but it completely different. I’m so happy to be able to make it now with decent cornmeal. Count your blessings everytime you eat our wonderful, “lavely dahling, just lavely” cornbread.
Jackie Garvin says
Jude,
God bless your sweet lovin’ heart! I enjoyed readkng your post in my best Bri’ish accent! LOL!
Audrey says
This is the first time I have heard anyone call this recipe..Egg Bread and yes it was used for making dressing. My granny used this for all her breakfast also..baked it, slice and put butter on each piece, then pour cane syrup over it with sausage, bacon, ham, eggs. It was awesome. Most people do not use this type of cornbread to make dressing. Granny put about 4 eggs in her cornbread..said made it richer. Tell everyone….it is a southern thang and yes..NO SUGAR…Thanks for letting people know the best way for eating corn bread. p.s. Ever make fried corn bread in the over???????????????
Jackie Garvin says
Audrey,
Welcome home!
I’ve made fried cornbread in the oven many times. Ordinarily, I will make lacey cornbread for everyday eating and I fry that on top of the stove.
Holly says
No cast iron skillet. Can I bake this recipe in the oven I regular pan?
Jackie Garvin says
Holly,
Lots of folks use regular baking dishes for cornbread. Just make sure it’s greased well.
pumpkin061 says
There is a place in this world for every type of cornbread! Thank you for sharing this and your stories Jackie (Jill Van Vlack)
Jackie Garvin says
Thank you, Jill.
Janny Sue Beddingfield Pace says
grtst millMy momma was from western North Carolina, Green River area in southern Henderson county. She made the best cornbread, made from home raised corn, white corn, ground at a local grist mill. She sifted 2 handfuls of the meal and 1 handful of sifted kansas maid flour with a pinch of baking soda and a little salt, no sugar, no egg, made with sweet milk, cooked in a large metal, tin, not aluminum, pan, cooked in a wood cook stove. Lots of time , the bread would stick on the bottom, she would put the pan back on top of stove where the bottom crust would then curl up and taste like corn chips, kids would fight over this, but the bread was moist and very gtood, not dry and crumbly. We used the iron skillet to fry our taters in. This was our supper every night along with our own jersey cow milk, cold of course, along with our home grown onions and homemade butter. I churned butter many, many times, good ole days
Jackie Garvin says
What wonderful, sweet memories! I love simple suppers like you described.
David says
What size cast iron skillet should I use as I have every size known to man?
Jackie Garvin says
David,
I appreciate your cast iron enthusiasm. I use a 9 or 10 inch.
Jenny says
OMGOSH!!! I have been looking for this recipe!!! My grandmother used to make this for me. Momma said she would come to pick me up after work and i’d walk out with a piece in each hand and butter running down my arms! lol I am going to make it for my kids tonight. I hope they like it as much as i did.
Jackie Garvin says
Hi Jenny! I hope your kids love it. Can’t imagine they wouldn’t. ❤️
Joe Guyton says
My family recipe is almost identical except I use Aunt Jemima White Cornmeal fine grind and use 1/2 cup flour with one tablespoon baking powder. For a pot of beans, the first meal is with skillet cornbread and the next is with hot water cornbread.
Btw, we don’t eat much bacon anymore, but I found a big tube of rendered and triple filtered bacon fat on Amazon from which I keep some in a jug ready to go and freeze the rest.
Joe Guyton says
Oops, I use 1/3 cup floor.
Jackie Garvin says
I love that you vary the type of cornbread you cook.
William Outland says
My mother made something she called “eggbread”. She baked it in a square pan . It was about an inch thick. We cut out squares approx. 3×3 and ate it for breakfast with butter and syrup. The best I can remember (75 years ago) it tasted a lot like pancakes. I think it was mostly flour but I believe there was also some meal. I’ve been through all her cookbooks and can’t find it. She probably knew it so well a receipe wasn’t needed. m Have you ever heard of it??
Jackie Garvin says
Both my grandmothers called cornbread made with eggs egg bread.
Kathleen Hatt says
I make my cornbread like this (my mother was from the NC mountains and I make it like hers):
2 cups white cornmeal
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
4 Tbsp. bacon drippings or oil
OF COURSE, NO SUGAR!!! 🙂
Kathleen Hatt says
Oh, and 1 egg!
Beverly says
I’m so glad to find your cooking blog! I’m a Southern gal who loves downhome cooking. A question about the recipe. I don’t buy self-rising flour. Could I use plain flour instead of self-rising and just add a small amount of baking powder, a pinch more salt or baking soda, and achieve the same results? Thanks so much!!
Jackie Garvin says
Hi Beverly! Welcome to Syrup and Biscuits. You certainly can use all-purpose flour and add in the appropriate amount of leavening agents.