Skillet Cornbread
By Cat, Jan 2008 (Photo, right, from Wikimedia Commons)
The most important consideration when making cornbread, is the source of the cornmeal. Since most commercial feed corn – the kind of corn used to make cornmeal and corn starch – is GMO, you want to be sure to purchase either “Organic” or “GMO-free” cornmeal. NOTE: according to Bob’s Red Mill’s GMO Policy (4), all of their products are GMO-free and they require their sources to certify as such.
There are many different recipes for cornbread, some sweet and cake-like, others plain and bread-like. It can be made in a heavy cast iron skillet on top of the stove, or in a cast iron skillet/pan or regular baking pan in the oven.
This recipe includes instructions on liming the cornmeal (to make the niacin or vitamin B3 bio-available, as well as many other benefits), and presoaking the limed cornmeal and wheat flour (to free the grains’ minerals so they can be absorbed. Or you can make the recipe with the lime-water and presoak steps.
- See also: 1. Quick Breads, Muffins; 2. Whole Grain Corn Bread-II; 3. Lime water
- Includes: 1. Optional lime-water soak; 2. Standard Method (using whole grain or sprouted grain flour); 3. Pre-soak Method (using whole grain flour)
Cornmeal to Flour Ratio
Some cornbreads are made with regular (fine-ground) cornmeal, coarse stone-ground cornmeal, or with a mixture, and usually with wheat flour (whole grain or white), which helps the cornmeal to form a dough. It almost always is made with some form of milk, either fresh milk with baking powder as the leavening agent; or buttermilk or other sour milk product, and baking soda, as the leavening. I prefer the buttermilk and baking soda combo; the acidity of the buttermilk activates the baking soda. If using fresh milk, the baking powder is already activated but often contains undesirable additives (like aluminum).
Cornbread recipes vary on proportion of cornmeal to wheat flour (whole or white), when using 2 – 3 eggs and 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cup milk. The following are from my various cookbooks/recipes (amounts in parenthesis are specified in the recipe). Recipes using masa or or a lime-soaked cornmeal require less flour (or none); otherwise, it’s all a matter of taste:
- Tassajara Bread Book (muffins): 1:1 (1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup flour; 2 cups total), or 3:1 (1 1/2 cups cornmeal, 1/2 cup flour; 2 cups total) – your choice of ratio;
- Bob’s Red Mill: 1:1 (1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup flour; 2 cups total)
- Better Homes & Gardens (1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup flour; 2 cups total)
- Betty Crocker cookbook: 3:1 (1 1/2 cups cornmeal, 1/2 cup flour; 2 cups total);
- Chow.com Masa Cornbread: 3:1 (1 1/2 cups cornmeal, 1/2 cup flour; 2 cups total);
- New Vegetarian Epicure: 3:2 (1 1/2 cups cornmeal, 1 cups flour; 2 1/2 cups total);
- Nourishing Traditions (uses lime-soaked cornmeal): 2:1 (2 cups cornmeal, 1 cup flour; 3 cups total).
Corn Bread or Muffins
This recipe is adapted from Cornmeal Muffins in Tassajara Bread Book, by Edward Espe Brown, and Honey-Sweetened Buttermilk Cornbread in the New Vegetarian Epicure, by Anna Thomas. The presoak version incorporates a lime water soak for the cornmeal from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon with Mary G. Enig; however, if using masa (cornmeal that has already had the lime water soak), you can skip that step.
The Tassajara recipe gives you a range from which you can choose the cornmeal to flour ratio, 1:1 to 3:1. The New Vegetarian Epicure recipe uses a 3:1 ratio. I prefer a 2:1 ratio when using regular cornmeal, or a 3:1 ratio when using masa (or the lime-water soak), and have written my adaptation accordingly.
I’ve made this recipe many many times using whole wheat or unbleached white flour with medium- or coarse-grind cornmeal (but no lime-water soak), for a good result. Now I’d like to try it using a lime-water soak and also a presoak method or using sprouted wheat/spelt flour, as these alterations make for a more nutritious end product, and one whose nutrients are more readily absorbed, especially the minerals. [NOTE: see my article on Using Baking Soda vs Baking Powder for how I determine the amount of baking soda and baking powder needed in both the standard and pre-soak recipes, based on amount of flour, and soda equivalency.]
This version of the recipe uses whole-grain cornmeal and whole-grain wheat or spelt flour; it is the version of this recipe that I have tested with good results. All of the other versions are adapted from this whole-grain version.
- Whole Grain: This version of the recipe uses whole-grain cornmeal and whole-grain wheat or spelt flour; it is the version of this recipe that I have tested with good results. All of the other versions are adapted from this whole-grain version.
- Optional lime-water soak of the cornmeal: Although I’ve not tried this yet, it is a fairly simple step ; you just have to allow 7 hours for the soak. And if you use ‘Cal‘ (Mexican pickling lime) instead of food-grade dolomite, you will need to rinse the soaked cornmeal several times with fresh changes of water to minimize the alkalinity before proceeding with the recipe.
- Sprouted Grain: Adjusting a recipe for sprouted grain flour requires less flour or an increase in the liquid, as sprouted grain flours are drier (although if using sprouted spelt, that may not be needed as spelt generally requires less liquid than wheat flour, so the difference may cancel each other out. This version can use fresh or cultured milk. I have not yet tested my adaptation.
- Presoak Method: This adjustment, which gives an acidic overnight soak to the wheat/spelt flour, is fairly easy because the recipe give the option of using cultured milk, the acidic quality of which is important for the presoak. If using masa harina (limed cornmeal), the optional lime-water soak is redundant and not needed. I have not yet tested my adaptation, but I have tested other pre-soak recipes such as Mom’s Banana Bread.
I’ve chosen roughly a 3:2 corn to wheat/spelt ratio, and increased the liquid by 1/4 cup (2 Tbsp maple syrup and 2 Tbsp milk) if using sprouted wheat (this increase may not be needed if using sprouted spelt).
A wonderful way to bake this bread is in a cast iron skillet, or a cast iron muffin pan. The bread gets a wonderful crust. Makes 12 muffins, or 9 – 12 squares.
Ingredients & Equipment:
- 3/4 cup lime water (optional; don’t use if using masa)
- 1 1/2 cup Organic or GMO-Free whole-grain cornmeal
- 3/4 cup whole wheat/spelt flour; or sprouted wheat/spelt flour
- 1 1/4 cup buttermilk, sour milk, or fresh whole milk; increase by 2 Tbsp if using sprouted wheat flour (may not be needed for sprouted spelt flour)
- 1/2 tsp unrefined sea salt
- 1/4 cup unbleached white flour
- If using fresh milk: 3 – 4 tsp aluminum-free baking powder; If using buttermilk: 1/2 tsp baking soda plus 1 – 2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder [either: 3/4 – 1 tsp soda equivalence]
- 1/2 tsp chili powder (optional)
- 1 tsp dried oregano or marjoram (optional)
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 – 3 Tbsp real maple syrup
- 1/4 cup melted butter or coconut oil
- Equipment:
- medium and large bowls
- egg whisk or fork
- wooden spoon
- 8″ square or 9″ round cake pan; muffin pan(s); or 9″ ovenproof cast iron skillet
Optional lime water soak
This method applies to regular cornmeal; if using masa, it has already had a lime water soak. The lime water soak is done prior to an acidic pre-soak. See instructions for making lime water; mix it up at least 1 day in advance of the soak, to allow the limed calcium to dissolve in the water, and the remaining solids to settle.
- Add lime water to the cornmeal in large bowl, stirring to combine. Let soak about 7 hours in large bowl, before proceeding with the presoak.
- Rinsing soaked cornmeal: If you used dolomite for the lime water, you do not need to rinse the soaked cornmeal (although it won’t hurt to do it). If you used pickling lime (‘Cal’), rinse the soaked cornmeal with several changes of fresh water to neutralize the alkalinity of the pickling lime, before proceeding.
Standard method for whole- or sprouted-grain (no pre-soak)
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease muffin cups, baking pan or skillet.
- Combine flours, cornmeal,* salt, baking soda, baking powder, and optional spices and herbs in large bowl, and whisk to mix. *If you did the lime water soak, don’t add the soaked cornmeal until you add the wet ingredients.
- Beat eggs in a medium bowl and add syrup, butter/oil and milk (as buttermilk, sour milk, or fresh milk), stirring to blend.
- Pour egg mixture into flour mixture; add limed cornmeal if you did the lime water soak; stir until just moistened.
- Spoon into greased pan or muffin tins. If you don’t fill all the muffin cups, fill the empty ones with water.
- Bake in preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes for muffins or skillet bread; or 25-30 minutes for corn bread, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove pan(s) from oven and cool on rack.
- Serve with whipped butter and honey
Presoak Method
The presoak follows the optional lime-water soak of the cornmeal. The acidic pre-soak benefits the whole grain flour and cornmeal by freeing up the bound minerals in the grains.
- Presoak: Sift whole wheat/spelt flour with salt and add to limed cornmeal (or masa). (Do not use sprouted grain flour when using a presoak method).
- Add buttermilk or sour milk (not fresh milk) and mix well.
- Press waxed paper against top surface of the mix, then place bowl in a plastic bag, and let rest on counter overnight, at least 12 hours; however, a 24-hour soak will give a better rise.
- Next Day: Preheat oven to 325°F (a lower temperature is used for pre-soaked grains). Grease muffin cups, baking pan or skillet.
- Beat eggs in a medium bowl; add syrup, butter/oil and buttermilk/sour milk, stirring to blend.
- Sift 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1 – 2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder with white flour, then combine in small bowl with spices and/or herbs, whisking to mix.
- Stir egg mixture into presoak mixture (don’t over-mix), then add the white flour mix, stirring until just moistened.
- Spoon into greased pan or muffin tins. If you don’t fill all the muffin cups, fill the empty ones with water.
- Bake in preheated oven for about 45 – 50 minutes for muffins or skillet bread; or about 60 minutes for corn bread, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove pan(s) from oven and cool on rack.
- Serve with whipped butter and honey
Lime water, for soaking cornmeal
Lime water is made by dissolving limed calcium (limestone or dolomite) in water. Its alkalinity causes beneficial changes in the corn – both improved nutrition and practical changes – through a process known as nixtamalization. The main nutritional change is that it frees the niacin (vitamin B3) that is otherwise bound up in the corn, so that it can be assimilated by the digestive tract – that is, it makes the niacin bio-available.
Mix up the lime water at least one day in advance of when you want to use it, to allow the limed calcium to dissolve in the water, and the remaining solids to settle. See Lime water for instructions.
References:
See Beloved Cookbooks for more on these cookbook references.
- Tassajara Bread Book, by Edward Espe Brown
- New Vegetarian Epicure, by Anna Thomas
- Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon with Mary G. Enig, PhD.
- Bob’s Red Mill, non-GMO Policy (blog.bobsredmill. com/featured-articles/our-policy-regarding-gmos/) (NOTE: link deactivated per their request)
