Go Back
Bacon-Dripping Cast-Iron Cornbread
Melissa Hart

Bacon-Dripping Cast-Iron Cornbread

The skillet has to hiss when the batter hits it. That hot bacon fat makes the dark, crisp bottom people scrape out first. This version uses more cornmeal than flour and only a trace of sweetness from the buttermilk itself.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 10
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1/3 cup rendered bacon drippings
  • 2 cups fine yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs beaten

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 425°F with a 10-inch cast-iron skillet inside for 10 minutes.
  2. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
  3. Whisk the buttermilk and eggs together and stir them into the dry mixture just until combined.
  4. Carefully add the bacon drippings to the hot skillet, swirl to coat, and pour all but 1 tablespoon of the fat into the batter.
  5. Stir once, pour the batter into the hissing skillet, and bake for 22 to 25 minutes until the edges pull away and the center springs back.
  6. Cool for 10 minutes before cutting into 10 wedges.