A pan of blue corn cornbread. It jumped into tummies before I had a chance to take a photo out of the oven.
This is cornbread with the taste of full-on corn, and I like to use blue cornmeal because it has a higher protein content than yellow cornmeal, but you can use yellow for this recipe if you’d prefer. This recipe is also very quick and easy for everyday meals. The bread is very basic and rustic (but still moist), and is meant to be so (and since there is no wheat flour, it’s gluten-free). As an accompaniment to stews or hardy winter meals, this cornbread makes a great addition. But I’ve also eaten it for breakfast with eggs, or just a side of jam and butter.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups blue cornmeal (finely ground)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3 medium to large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk or sour milk (or take your milk and add 1 tablespoon white vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes)
- 1 to 2 tbls maple syrup, honey, or molasses
- 3 tbls bacon fat or coconut oil
Blue corn has a wonderful, deep corn flavor and a higher protein value than yellow corn. But you can use yellow cornmeal just the same.
INSTRUCTIONS
It is better to use a cast iron skillet for this recipe; you’ll notice the difference in the taste! But you can use a rectangular baking dish of appropriate size, too.
Take your skillet (or rectangular baking dish) and place the bacon fat or coconut oil in it. Place in the oven, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
While the pan is heating, sift together your dry ingredients. In another bowl, mix your eggs and buttermilk/sour milk well.
Add your wet mixture into your flour mixture and combine.
By this time your oven should be pre-heated. Remove the pan from the oven and swirl the melted fat/oil well to make sure the pan is covered. Then pour the remaining fat into your batter and blend until combined.
Pour your batter into your skillet and return to the oven, baking until a tester inserted into the bread comes out clean, about 30 minutes (depending upon your oven).
Mitch VanEtten
October 21, 2012 at 10:18 am
This sounds awesome, Can’t wait to give it a taste.
Sherrie
October 21, 2012 at 10:46 am
Wow. I’ve heard of yellow and white cornmeal but never blue. How cool is that!!! Don’t know if I can find blue cornmeal but I’ll be using this recipe for sure. Bacon fat. Oh, Lord I miss the days of bacon and cracklin’s in cornbread. I just might sneak and do this recipe up right with bacon added and bacon fat to grease the pan. Shhh, I won’t tell if you don’t! Of course, the taste will give us away. Thanks for the recipe.
narf77
October 21, 2012 at 12:59 pm
Must get some blue corn to grow this season in Tasmania. Cheers for this wonderful share and thank you for sharing your precious knowledge online where penniless hippies like me can find it and use it
John the Aussie
October 22, 2012 at 10:51 pm
We have a hard time finding cornmeal in Australia… We have substitutes, but its far from the same.
sharonvincello
October 26, 2012 at 1:19 pm
I will be making this tonight to accompany my vegan chili recipe I’m working on. Thanks for this!
Tammy Johnson
October 31, 2012 at 9:32 am
I love you site! I am re-learning the rural living skills that I grew up with in rural Arkansas. Thank you for sharing. You site is beautiful!
Rural Spin
October 31, 2012 at 3:42 pm
Thank you!