I have been sick for the last ten days! I can’t seem to shake this cold. All I have been wanting is take out, soups, and any and all southern cuisine I can get my hands on.
This week’s feature is not a from scratch recipe. I will never claim to have a super secret ultra special cornbread recipe….because there is only one cornbread that exists in my life- and it is Jiffy cornbread. Yes. The blue and white $0.59 box next to all of the other corn muffin mixes. It is my favorite, will always be my favorite, and can never be replicated no matter how good your grandma’s cornbread recipe is. Point made I hope.
Now, even though I don’t have a special homemade recipe, there is a method to my cornbread madness that I swear by, and after you go through these steps, you won’t want to make cornbread another way.
Cast Iron Cornbread
You will need:
- cast iron skillet
- 2 boxes of Jiffy corn muffin mix (or, mix up a batch of your favorite recipe…if you must)
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cups of milk
- 1/4 cup of a good frying fat (vegetable/canola oil, shortening)
Preheat your oven according to recipe directions. Place the fat of choice into the cast iron skillet, and put it into the oven to get nice and hot. I have used vegetable oil, canola oil, and shortening. They all work beautifully. I had shortening on hand, so that is what I used.
Mix the corn muffin mix as directed on the box. Jiffy is super easy, so if you want to let the kids help, this is definitely a recipe to let them have a go at!
Let the mix hang out in the bowl for a bit. It will thicken and become a little aerated. This is what you want. However, if it is too thick (like mashed potatoes) add in more milk 1 Tbsp at a time until it barely falls off the spoon. You don’t want it too thin like cake batter, but you don’t want it too thick like mashed potatoes. Somewhere right in the middle where you can slowly pour it out of the bowl.
Once the oven is preheated, carefully take out the cast iron skillet with the hot oil and set it on a heat-safe surface.
Gently pour the cornbread mix into the hot oil. It will begin to bubble on the sides. This is exactly what you want.
Put the cornbread into the oven and bake as directed where the the top is golden brown and the sides are just separated from the skillet. 
While the cornbread is fresh out of the oven, butter generously. I like to take a stick and rub it all over the top and against the sides of the skillet. Let the butter melt into the space between the skillet and the cornbread. The butter will sizzle against the heat and absorb into every little crevice. The bottom and sides will be nice and crispy, and the inside will be fluffy and buttery. You will probably be salivating at this point. Welcome to the team. It happens to the best of us.
Slice into triangles and serve alongside some chicken soup, my red wine braised short ribs, or just by itself with a cold glass of milk or sweet tea.
I hope you and your family enjoy it. This method will work with any cornbread recipe, so if you have a super special homemade recipe that has been passed down from generation to generation- go for it! You really can’t beat the crunchy bottom and sides.
As always, thank you for your support. I hope you and your family went to Mass today to start the week off feeling encouraged and uplifted. Please pray for me to get over this cold. I am tired of feeling under the weather.
Lots of love,
Chelsea
22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness.
Galatians 5:22
The Catholic Kitchen 