The Cornbread Trick That Gives You a Crisp, Lacy Edge

There is no reason for cornbread to be shy. The best kind comes out of the oven with a dark-gold, almost lacy edge, a soft yellow center, and the smell of toasted corn and butter drifting through the kitchen like it has excellent news.

Buy medium-ground yellow cornmeal, not corn flour and not the gritty stuff labeled “stone-ground” unless you enjoy chewing your way through supper. A little texture is good; a mouthful of pebbles is not. You’ll also need all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, one egg, buttermilk, and a cast-iron skillet. Cast iron is not magic, but it is very good at holding heat, which is exactly what this cornbread needs.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees and put a 10-inch cast-iron skillet inside while it heats. In a bowl, whisk together 1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Yes, sugar. I am not interested in the cornbread civil war today; a small amount rounds out the corn’s flavor without turning the bread into cake.

In another bowl, whisk 1 cup buttermilk, 1 egg, and 4 tablespoons melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until no dry streaks remain. The batter should be thick and spoonable, not smooth as a milkshake. A few lumps are harmless. Overmixing makes cornbread tough, and nobody needs a side dish with the personality of a doorstop.

Carefully remove the hot skillet. Add 1 tablespoon butter and swirl it around, letting it foam and coat the bottom and sides. Pour in the batter. You should hear an immediate sizzle. That sound is dinner doing its job.

Here’s what happens if you skip preheating the skillet: the batter slowly settles instead of searing on contact, and you get a pale, soft bottom with no crisp edge. It will still be edible, but so is a plain rice cake. Put the skillet back in the oven and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the top is deeply golden and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing. The crust should crackle lightly under your knife; the middle should taste buttery, corny, and just faintly sweet. Serve it warm with chili, beans, roast chicken, or nothing but more butter. The skillet goes back on the stove after dinner, where it belongs.