Alright, so the other day, I got this real hankering for some cornbread. Not just any cornbread, mind you, but the kind you make in one of those cast iron corn stick molds. You know, the ones that give you those crispy edges all around? Yeah, those.
Getting that Old Mold Ready
First thing I did was dig out that trusty mold. It’s heavy, seasoned from years of use. I think I got this one at a flea market ages ago, paid practically nothing for it. Some folks are scared of cast iron, but I tell ya, once you get the hang of it, it’s the best. The trick, especially with these molds that have all the nooks and crannies, is getting it ready. You can’t just slap the batter in there, no sir.
So, I popped the empty mold into the oven while it was preheating. Gets it nice and hot. Then, very carefully, I pulled it out and greased it. I mean, really greased it. I use bacon grease – don’t judge, it works wonders! Made sure every single little kernel indent was shiny. Some folks use shortening or oil, and that’s fine, but bacon grease just gives it something extra. A little sprinkle of cornmeal in there too, helps ’em pop right out later. Learned that trick after a few stuck messes way back when. Nothing worse than prying out broken cornbread, ruins the whole mood.
Whipping Up the Batter
While the oven was doing its thing, I got to mixing the batter. I don’t do anything too fancy. My go-to is pretty straightforward:
- Yellow cornmeal, about a cup.
- A bit of all-purpose flour, maybe half a cup, keeps it from being too crumbly.
- A touch of sugar, not too much, I don’t like it super sweet.
- Baking powder, salt – the usual suspects.
- One egg.
- And buttermilk. Gotta be buttermilk for me. Gives it that tang.
- Some melted butter right into the batter too.
I just mix it all together in one bowl. Nothing complicated. I remember my grandma, she never measured a thing, just threw it all in, and it always came out perfect. I’m not quite there yet, still need my cups and spoons, mostly.
Baking and the Best Part
Once the batter was ready, I carefully poured it into the hot, greased mold. You get that satisfying sizzle when the batter hits the hot iron. That’s how you know you’re on the right track for crispy edges. Then, back into the oven it went. Took about, oh, 15-20 minutes? I just keep an eye on it until it’s golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
The smell, oh man, the smell that fills the kitchen. That’s half the fun, isn’t it? Reminds me of when I was a kid. We didn’t have these fancy individual corn stick pans back then, just a big ol’ skillet of cornbread. But the smell is the same.
Once they were done, I let them sit in the mold for just a minute or two, not too long, or they might steam and lose some crispiness. Then, I just tipped the mold over onto a wire rack. And because I prepped that pan right, they slid right out, every single one of ’em, perfect little golden ears of corn. That’s the moment of triumph!
They were fantastic. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. Slapped some butter on a warm one, and boy, that hit the spot. Sometimes it’s the simple things, you know? Totally worth digging out that old mold and putting in a little effort.
