The Cast-Iron Cornbread That Deserves Real Butter

Buy a bag of medium-grind yellow cornmeal, not the dusty corn flour that turns cornbread into cake wearing a corn costume. You’ll also need flour, buttermilk, an egg, baking powder, a little sugar, and a cast-iron skillet. A 10-inch skillet is ideal. Cast iron holds heat like it has a grudge, which is exactly what we want.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees and put the skillet inside while it warms. In a bowl, whisk 1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons sugar. The sugar is not there to make dessert. It rounds out the corn and helps the crust color. If you like a more savory loaf, use just 1 tablespoon.

In another bowl, whisk 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, 1 egg, and 4 tablespoons melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until no dry pockets remain. A few lumps are fine. Cornbread batter is not a situation that rewards emotional overinvolvement.

Now, carefully pull out the hot skillet. Add 1 tablespoon butter and swirl it around. It should sizzle immediately. Pour in the batter; the edges ought to hiss and begin setting at once. That sound is dinner getting good. If you skip preheating the skillet, the batter starts in a cold puddle and the bottom stays soft and pale. You’ll still have cornbread, technically, but you’ll miss the crisp, buttery edge that makes people hover near the pan.

Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. The center should look set but not dry. Let it sit for five minutes, then run a knife around the edge and cut it into wedges.

Good cornbread smells toasted and faintly sweet. The crust should crackle when you bite it, while the middle stays tender and grainy, with enough butter to make the crumbs cling to your fingers. Serve it with chili, beans, greens, or a fried egg. And please put the skillet back on the stove while it’s still warm, wipe it clean, and rub on the thinnest film of oil. Cast iron likes respect, not soap operas.