Classic Cornbread From 'Savory Baking' Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between New York cornbread and southern cornbread? ›

While both styles generally use the same ingredients -- cornmeal, flour, eggs, and baking powder -- the variance lies in the flavor and texture. Northern-style cornbread tends to be sweeter, moister, and cake-like compared to its Southern counterpart.

Traditional cornbread isn't sweet, but many favorite recipes have sugar in them. The amount of flour vs. corn meal also changes so that some cornbread is closer in texture to cake.

I want to keep the cornbread taste, just less crumbly! I recommend extra egg yolk, adding corn, and using cast iron to bake. Also, try a little lower temperature.

The change from stone to steel milling is likely what prompted cooks to start putting sugar in their cornbread, too. In the old days, Southerners typically ground their meal from varieties known as dent corn, so called because there's a dent in the top of each kernel.

The most common theory is a change in cornmeal itself. Until early in the 20th century, Southern cornmeal was made with sweeter white corn and it was water-ground. When industrial milling came along, that changed. The steel-roller mills used yellow corn that was harvested before it was ripe, so it had less sugar.

The thing that distinguishes Southern cornbread from, say Yankee cornbread, or any other cornbread one is likely to eat outside of the southern states, is that it is savory, not sweet, and it is made mostly with cornmeal.

She notes that Northern cornbread is sweeter, lighter, and more cake-like than Southern cornbread. Not surprisingly, it includes sugar (or molasses, in the earlier centuries), unlike traditional Southern cornbread.

While on its own, Southern cornbread may be underwhelming, it's neutral flavor and crumbly texture make it the perfect vessel to soak up liquidy foods, like cranberry sauce or turkey gravy. Or, it can be eaten on its own, perhaps mixed with gooey cheese or spicy jalapeños.

The best side dishes to serve with cornbread are deviled eggs, chicken stew, beef stew, pork schnitzel, shrimp stock, London broil, sausage and peppers, mushroom soup, chicken meatballs, chicken marsala, cream cheese, oven-fried chicken, beef curry, green salad, white chili chicken, cowboy soup, and Goulash.

The extra egg which is increased protein and binder makes the cornbread denser and heavier in texture.

Should you let cornbread batter rest? ›

1Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Note: We recommend allowing cornbread batter to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before baking, so if you prefer, you can delay heating the oven until you make the batter. 2Melt the butter, and then set aside to cool slightly.

While not a professional chef, my experience with corn bread, be it packaged or made from scratch is if you over mix it, it's gonna fall! Also, let it sit for 4-5 minutes after gently scraping it into the pan and let the ingredients start their magic reactions. No peeking while baking!! That can make it fall too.

Cornbread can help you control your blood sugar levels.

Cornbread is made with whole grain cornmeal, making it an excellent choice for people trying to control their blood sugar levels as eating whole grains has been linked to better blood sugar control.

Hot water cornbread

This type of cornbread is often known as "hot water" or "scald meal" cornbread and is unique to the American South.

Diabetes and Corn Consumption: Is It OK? Eating corn may raise your blood sugar if you have diabetes. That said, this doesn't mean you need to eliminate it from your diet entirely. Set a daily limit for carbs, and keep track of what you eat.

The texture was coarse and crumbly, while the taste was plain and bland. Up until that point in my life, I had only consumed sweetened Yankee cornbread and was completely unaware of the savory Southern variety.

In case you were wondering, Sally is, of course, from a Northern state— Maryland, specifically. This recipe includes large amounts of sugar, honey, and melted butter, which distinguishes it from the Southern cornbread recipe.

Real, traditional, Southern-style cornbread is savory, not sweet, and always has been.