I'll chime in with my own favorite cornbread recipe developed over many years. It's really a combination of 2 or 3 techniques.
Preheat oven to 400. *Note that the cast iron skillet goes into the oven with the oil as the oven preheats (see below).
Mix together
1 tsp. baking soda and 1 tsp. water. Set aside.
Whisk together
2 c. cornmeal (I used yellow, of course)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbs. sugar
Beat together
3 eggs
1-1/2 c. buttermilk
*Place 4 Tbs. oil--olive, corn, vegetable or bacon fat--in a cast iron skillet (10") and put in the oven while preheating.
Mix wet and dry ingredients until just blended--do not over beat. Give the baking soda/water mixture a quick stir and add it to the batter.
Remove hot pan from the oven, pour the hot oil into the batter and mix well. Pour the batter into the hot pan and bake for 20 minutes. Check after 18 minutes but don't over bake.
Note that there's no flour in this batter and very little sugar. I've found that a full teaspoon of salt is too much for my taste. I rarely add anything to this, but if I were to add something I think it would be jalapeños or other similar chiles. This makes a very sturdy cornbread, so if you want something fluffier another recipe might be more satisfying for you.
And if you want to use it for your Thanksgiving stuffing, add another egg.
Nancy in Pátzcuaro
