Southern Sourdough Cornbread
This sourdough take on classic southern cornbread is a whole mouth-party, especially when paired with a pot o' beans and some sweet tea!
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups buttermilk or milk
- ¼ cup avocado oil (or other neutral oil)
- ½ cup active, bubbly starter
- 1 tsp honey
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 ¼ cups 100% stoneground cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
- 2 eggs
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ cup butter
Instructions
- Mix the milk, oil, starter, honey, salt, cornmeal, and flour together in a large bowl. Cover with a cloth and let sit in a warm space for 24 hours.Note: If you do not feel comfortable with the milk sitting out in the mixture, you can omit the milk until the next step or slow ferment the mixture in the fridge for 48 hours.
- After the fermenting time, preheat the oven to 400 °F. While the oven is preheating, place a large cast iron skillet inside to get hot with the ¼ cup of butter in it so it will melt.
- Add the eggs and baking soda to the cornbread mixture.
- Once the oven is heated, remove the skillet and pour the mixture into the melted butter. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Notes
- If you do not want to leave the milk in the mixture, omit it in the first step then add it in with the eggs and baking soda just prior to baking. Alternatively, the whole mixture can be slow fermented in the refrigerator for 48-72 hours.
- Things such as whole kernel corn or diced onions should be mixed in just prior to baking.
- If you do not have a cast iron skillet, a ceramic or glass baking dish will work as well. The process will be the same, you just may not get as golden of a crust. Use 1/2 cup butter instead of 1/4 to help achieve a better crust.