Last week Mrs. HB and I got together and made one of our favorite recipes: Chicken and Sausage with White Beans. It’s a one pot meal and super tasty all on its own, but we decided to serve it up with a side of cornbread. Mrs. Hillbilly swears by a particular cornbread recipe, and since she’s never steered me wrong when it comes to food, I decided to give it a try. Wise choice. The boys loved it and I can see why it’s her go-to cornbread recipe. It’s savory and simple {not sweet at all}.
Ingredients
1 cup white flour
1 cup white or yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup butter, melted plus 1 tablespoon
2 large eggs beaten
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 F. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper in bowl. Stir in buttermilk, 1/3 cup melted butter and eggs just until moist. Melt the reserved 1 tablespoon of butter in heavy cast iron skillet. Pour batter immediately into pan.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm. Or room temperature. Or cold. You really can’t go wrong here.
Julie P says
This looks great. Not something that is widely eaten here. Only made Jami from anoregincottage’s recipe before and that is delicious especially with the honey butter! But will be trying this for chilli and other savoury recipes.
Laura says
Dimension of pan?
Mavis Butterfield says
She used a 9 inch skillet.
Katherine says
Here in the south there are folks that would not eat this because there is sugar in the mix. Some folks take their cornbread so seriously. I like it with or without sugar. It just depends on what else is on the menu 🙂
Laura Z says
Ha! No kidding. Kinda like BBQ lines. With only one tablespoon, though, you really don’t taste the sugar. Here in the Carolinas, no sugar and less (or no) white flour is the norm, but there are so many variations across the South. Glad Mrs. HB gave the tip of pouring the cornbread into a hot cast iron skillet; it makes for a crispy and delicious crust. Thanks, Mrs. HB!!
Deborah says
This is what I grew up eating and what I make. Did you know that it used to be sweeter and was called Johnny Cake. (Johnny Reb from the Civil War.) Well, this is what I’ve heard most of my life.
Revonda B Brumfield says
I never comment on sites or blogs but had to comment.
Some would say I’m not from the south but most of us win SW Virginia would beg to differ! The recipe I grew up eating would never include sugar, butter or flour. I use the recipe on the back of locally ground cornmeal, Big Spring Mill in Elliston, Virginia which is what all local cooks use. They also grind the best biscuit flour!
Heat 1/3 cup shortening in 12″ iron skillet in the 425 degree oven as it is preheating.
2 cups cornmeal
2 cups milk
2 eggs
Stir until just mixed. Quickly pour and mix 425 degree shortening into batter.
Pour into hot skillet and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until center is done.
Best cornbread ever! Great toasted next day too.
BTW….don’t consider myself a hillbilly even though I live in the Appalachian mountains…and that is Appa-latch-Ian not Appa-lay-chin. I get on my very high horse when I hear this mispronounced on tv and by people who move into the area because of a quite large nearby university.
Sorry so long…
Janet says
Wow, Revonda, thank you for your recipe. This means a lot to me since my dear husband is from SW Virginia. We do NOT like sweetened cornbread. I’ll be making this soon using our stone-ground cornmeal. Finally got the dumplin’s figured out that his Mom used to make (she passed on before I met my husband, so I couldn’t ask her how; just kept experimenting until hubby said YES that’s it.) Now I’d LOVE to conquer biscuits……I make good ones, but want to make good ole’ southern biscuits!!!
Carolyn Garman says
I agree. It’s the best anywhere. Maybe we’re prejudiced?