What do you prefer to cook in?

[Mark @ Everlast]

I have a nice "prosumer" set of nonstick aluminum anodized aluminum pans from Sam's Club with their trade name on them. They have been good cooking pans and better than any stainless or other nonstick things I have used.

But, I have my good old cast iron pots and pans. Some new, some American, some taiwan and/or China. They all cook well, but I do like my American made lodge pan, and the Chinese reversible stove griddle. It is flat on one side, and on the other it has rides with a grease groove. It covers two burners and it is great to cook things on like bacon, pancakes or even indoor grill chicken or steak. I also like my tiny skillet for making cornbread(not that cakey, dry get-stuck-in-your-throat with lots of sugar stuff northerners eat).

 

[Chuck52]

Got to have a cast iron skillet for cornbread. Is there any other way?

Chuck

 

[dave1949]

Got to have a cast iron skillet for cornbread. Is there any other way?

Chuck

Well, share your cast iron skillet corn bread recipes with us Northerners please. Assume we know nothing Isn't there something about soaking the cornmeal?
Dave.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Oil up your skillet, with peanut or corn oil, leave about 3/16 inch of oil in it. Put it in oven at 450.

Take extra fine ground white corn meal, such as Arnette's or Hoovers fine ground and sifted cornmeal, enough to suit you, probably about 4 cups, mix with it enough hot water to make it into the consistency of thin pancake batter. The cornmeal is plain corn meal, nothing added...nothing...Add about 3/4 teaspoon of salt.

Take pan out of oven, pour thin layer of batter into pan covering entire bottom, no more than about 3/8" thick. It should sizzle going in. Place it back in oven. Watch for it start cooking. You can see it start drawing up on the sides. Take it out and flip it over. Finish off for a few more minutes until it is golden brown.

Alternately, take a skillet, and place it on the stove top. Pour in oil and get it hot. Take a spoon and drop several little cakes into the hot oil. Allow it to float up and flip over, cook until golden brown.

 

[Chuck52]

Well, share your cast iron skillet corn bread recipes with us Northerners please. Assume we know nothing Isn't there something about soaking the cornmeal?
Dave.

Recipe? We don't need no stinking recipe! I just say, "Woman, make me a pone of cornbread!" After I wake up from being hit up side of the head with the cast iron skillet I eat the cornbread she made because she was gonna do it anyway.

Southern mountain cornbread is a simple thing. You grease your skillet with lots of shortening....the wife only uses Crisco. Granny Florence used lard. Then you take a cup or so of WHITE cornmeal mix, (Aunt Jemima or Martha White) which has a bit of flour and baking powder already in it (Granny Florence made her own with local ground corn meal) and mix in an egg and maybe a goose egg sized lump of shortening, using your hands to mix it all together. Then you add buttermilk until it gets to a stage where it can be poured into the pan. Bake at about 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until the top is beginning to brown. The bottom should be a nice dark brown and crispy. This yields a fairly thin pone, with a tender moist inside and crispy bottom. If your skillet is properly seasoned the cornbread comes out easily when done. Very good with pinto beans loaded with streaked meat and a side of cole slaw.

Chuck

 

[Chuck52]

I've had the style Mark describes on the Outer Banks. They made those little cakes at one of the seafood restaurants, and they substituted for hush puppies. Very nice, simple, crispy and good.

For "fancy" cornbreads, I've got a "Mexican" style that's a meal in itself. In fact, any leftovers make a real good breakfast and remind me of my loaded grits.

Chuck

 

[dave1949]

Thanks. I printed those out. Now I have to find some white cornmeal. May not have the brands you noted and it will probably be ancient, but I will try it out.

Dave.

 

[RobertN]

Y'all mean Martha Whites with Hot Rize, or Hot Rize with Martha White's?

YouTube - Hot Rize, Greyfox Bluegrass Festival 2008, Martha WhiteTheme

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FgpQyk5ibw&NR=1

Maybe with a corn dog

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig8FDXjXUDY

WHITE cornmeal mix, (Aunt Jemima or Martha White) which has a bit of flour and baking powder already in it

 

[Toyboy]

I got into the Griswold pans a bunch of years ago and believe they were the best in their time, and even today. I have some of the old Wagner's that are really nice also. A couple of the Griswold's were terrible looking when I got them and spent hours cleaning and re-seasoning them. The new cast iron pans seem to have shorter handles and feel much heavier the the old Griswold's & Wagner's. But I do agree with you guys that everything just tastes better when done in cast iron.

 

[czechsonofagun]

Anybody uses Titanium coated pots and pans?