Iron Skillet Cornbread

I loved the way cornbread cooks in an iron skillet.  The crispy bottom makes all the difference and if you cook your cornbread in an iron skillet, that's what you'll get.  The key to a crispy bottom is HOT oil in a HOT skillet.  I don't like to use "packaged cornbread mix".  Sure it's easy, but it's just as easy with the right recipe and just as cost effective.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
1 egg
2 cups yellow cornmeal

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Add the oil to a 10-inch cast iron skillet, and put it in the oven till the oil gets very hot and you hear popping sounds. Combine all the dry ingredients together and mix very well. Whisk the egg and buttermilk until completely mixed. Add to the dry ingredients, and mix well. Be careful not to over-mix.

Remove the cast iron pan out from the oven "very carefully" and place on top of stove. Turn oven down to 400 and pour the batter into the cast iron skillet.  You'll notice that it puffs up around the edges and sounds like it's frying.  That's what you want to hear. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes. The top of the cornbread should be golden-brown, and the bread should be pulling away slightly from the sides of the pan. 

Let cool for 10 minutes before trying to cut and serve.