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Mama's Corn Bread

Source of Recipe

From "Blue Ribbon Baking from a Redneck Kitchen"


Recipe Introduction

"In my house, hardly a day goes by without biscuits or corn bread, which I make every other day, it seems. This is Mama's recipe, and I'm sure it was Nana's and Great-Grandma's and Great-Great-Grandma's before. You have to use shortening or lard to preheat the pan, so that it gets really hot and the bread won't stick. Don't use butter or oil, because it'll burn. It's almost a requirement if you live around these parts to keep bacon drippings sitting in a jar somewhere; this is a good place to use them."

List of Ingredients

◦  1 tablespoon shortening (I use Crisco) or lard
◦  2 cups self-rising cornmeal (I use White Lily)
◦  ¼ cup all-purpose flour
◦  1 teaspoon salt
◦  1 teaspoon baking soda
◦  1¾ cups well-shaken buttermilk
◦  2 large eggs
◦  2 tablespoons bacon drippings, cooled (from about 4 strips of bacon)


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 450° F. Put the shortening in a 10-inch cast iron skillet and put it in the oven as it heats.

Into a large bowl, sift together the cornmeal, flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir in the buttermilk, eggs, and drippings, mixing just until the dry ingredients are moistened and there are no clumps.

Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and pour in the batter. Bake until golden around the edges, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm.


Makes one 10-inch corn bread