Southern Recipes

Peachy Pork with Pecans

Skillet Cornbread - Stuffed!















Skillet Cornbread - Stuffed!
for the 10.25” Iron Handled Skillet

Making cornbread in an iron skillet is a tradition in the south. But the ingredients vary all over the place. In the Deep South there seems to be a preference for white cornmeal and some sugar. In the Carolinas and Kentucky, yellow cornmeal predominates and usually more sugar. This recipe is adapted from one out of a Charleston and is mighty good no matter where in the USA (or World!) you live. The Enameled Cast Iron Le Creuset Skillet is ideal for cooking and for serving thanks to its iron handle and contrasting brightly-colored pan exterior. Try serving this hot from the oven with chive butter; simply add about 2 teaspoons of finely chopped chives to 4 tablespoons of softened butter. Or use the cornbread as a base and spoon over chicken chunks in a light cream sauce, also sprinkled with chives. You can leave out the bacon (and use 1 tablespoon of lard or unsalted butter) and even the cheese “stuffing.” If you do, reduce the cooking time to about 15 minutes.

  • 2 strips of low-sodium bacon, chopped in 1/2” pieces
  • 1 1/2 cups stone-ground white or yellow cornmeal
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 cups regular buttermilk,
  • 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 4 oz. cheddar cheese, coarsely grated

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Add the bacon pieces to the Le Creuset Iron Handled Skillet & cook it over medium-high heat, stirring from time to time, until it is crisp. Leaving the fat in the pan, remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towel & reserve. Add a bit of butter if the fat measures less than 1 tablespoon.

Place the skillet with the fat in the oven to preheat. After the fat heats – about 1 minute - use a heat-resistant pastry brush & quickly spread the fat to ensure that the bottom & sides of the pan are evenly covered.

Meanwhile place a large sieve over a large bowl & dump in the cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt & sugar. Stir & sift the ingredients into the bowl. In another bowl, whisk the egg until frothy & add the buttermilk. Add the contents of this bowl to the dry ingredients & mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a heat proof bowl in the microwave: stir this butter into the cornmeal mixture.

When the fat in the skillet is quite hot, carefully pull out the oven shelf & pour half the batter into the skillet. Quickly sprinkle the cheese evenly over the pan’s contents. Then top the cheese with the bacon bits. Add the remaining batter.

Bake the stuffed cornbread for about 15 to 18 minutes, or until the top is golden & the bread pulls away from the sides of the skillet.

Remove the pan from the oven. Cut the cornbread into 6 wedges & serve hot from the oven to 6 guests.

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