Ok, so I met DW years ago and she loved cornbread, but she told me when we met that it always stuck when she tried it.
I didn’t elaborate on the “secrets” at first, but instead made cornbread for her. The “finishing" move I did was the “shake” when it comes out of the oven and you shake the CI to loosen the Cornbread before flipping onto a plate.
The secret, at least for me, is to use a good and well seasoned CI skillet. Pre-Heat it in the oven with 2 tbsp of oil. As it is pre-heating, make your batter. Once the CI is HOT, the oil should be near smoking. Now pour your batter into the hot CI and place it back in the oven. Bake according to the recipe.
Once the proper time has elapsed, pull your CI out by the handle. Now this is the cool part. If your CI is well seasoned, and you had just enough oil in the hot pan when you added the batter, you can do the “shake trick”.
Grasping the handle firmly, give the pan a good shake, and the cornbread will break free and slide loosely about the pan. It’s now time to tip it onto a platter. Cover the skillet with a plate and invert. Let cool then slice and serve.
When I learned this technique many years ago, I was very proud to be able to do it. Cornbread can be a challenge. Getting the “shake” right is just impressive. It really feels good to pull the cornbread out and do the shake and see that wonderful creation break loose and slide loosely as it awaits it’s tipping onto the plate. I just love it.
And I’ve taught it to DW.
Tonight, in front of the neighbors that were over to chat about DVDs and such (we trade DVDs with them all the time), she had to pull her cornbread out as the cooking timer had expired and rang. She excused herself, but I insisted we watch. We followed her, and she felt a bit pressured, but with confidence, she turned to us all and did the most beautiful and perfect “shake”. The cornbread broke free, slid perfectly. She actually gave it 2 extra shakes right in front of me to show, YES, that is how it works!
She then tipped it onto a plate. I was so proud!!! The neighbors were amazed and remarked that theirs always sticks!!! HAH!!!!
I’m proud! I’m also feeling a bit useless now! She has now mastered one of my big secrets!
Alrighty then…….time to get her to smoke a rack of ribs!
Ok……I’ll admit this. I love doing this, but DANG, MAMA, how do you get yours so big? We only cook for two so we pare everything down, but your cornbread is so much higher! We use self-rising cornmeal……what other secrets are there? Here’s what we do:
2 cups meal
1 1/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup oil (vegetable oil)
1 egg, well beaten
Now, it’s time for DW’s pics!
After the flip, bottom side up.
Top side up.
Cut a slice and add butter (later we will add honey for desert, but this was a dinner piece! ).
I didn’t elaborate on the “secrets” at first, but instead made cornbread for her. The “finishing" move I did was the “shake” when it comes out of the oven and you shake the CI to loosen the Cornbread before flipping onto a plate.
The secret, at least for me, is to use a good and well seasoned CI skillet. Pre-Heat it in the oven with 2 tbsp of oil. As it is pre-heating, make your batter. Once the CI is HOT, the oil should be near smoking. Now pour your batter into the hot CI and place it back in the oven. Bake according to the recipe.
Once the proper time has elapsed, pull your CI out by the handle. Now this is the cool part. If your CI is well seasoned, and you had just enough oil in the hot pan when you added the batter, you can do the “shake trick”.
Grasping the handle firmly, give the pan a good shake, and the cornbread will break free and slide loosely about the pan. It’s now time to tip it onto a platter. Cover the skillet with a plate and invert. Let cool then slice and serve.
When I learned this technique many years ago, I was very proud to be able to do it. Cornbread can be a challenge. Getting the “shake” right is just impressive. It really feels good to pull the cornbread out and do the shake and see that wonderful creation break loose and slide loosely as it awaits it’s tipping onto the plate. I just love it.
And I’ve taught it to DW.
Tonight, in front of the neighbors that were over to chat about DVDs and such (we trade DVDs with them all the time), she had to pull her cornbread out as the cooking timer had expired and rang. She excused herself, but I insisted we watch. We followed her, and she felt a bit pressured, but with confidence, she turned to us all and did the most beautiful and perfect “shake”. The cornbread broke free, slid perfectly. She actually gave it 2 extra shakes right in front of me to show, YES, that is how it works!
She then tipped it onto a plate. I was so proud!!! The neighbors were amazed and remarked that theirs always sticks!!! HAH!!!!
I’m proud! I’m also feeling a bit useless now! She has now mastered one of my big secrets!
Alrighty then…….time to get her to smoke a rack of ribs!
Ok……I’ll admit this. I love doing this, but DANG, MAMA, how do you get yours so big? We only cook for two so we pare everything down, but your cornbread is so much higher! We use self-rising cornmeal……what other secrets are there? Here’s what we do:
2 cups meal
1 1/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup oil (vegetable oil)
1 egg, well beaten
Now, it’s time for DW’s pics!
After the flip, bottom side up.
Top side up.
Cut a slice and add butter (later we will add honey for desert, but this was a dinner piece! ).