Mackey’s Skillet Cornbread
The Independent

Serves: 6 - 8

2 cups self-rising white cornmeal (not cornmeal mix)

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup bacon drippings (from 8 slices cooked bacon) or corn oil

3/4 cup whole milk

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon cornmeal

Preheat the oven to 450° F.

In a large bowl, combine the self-rising cornmeal and flour; set aside.

Heat an 8-inch cast - iron skillet in the hot oven for 6 to 8 minutes. Add the bacon drippings to the hot skillet and return to the oven to heat the drippings, 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the milk and buttermilk to the flour mixture and stir with a wire whisk to combine.

Working very carefully, remove the hot skillet of drippings from the oven. Pour almost all of the hot drippings (reserve about 1 tablespoon of drippings in the skillet) into the batter and stir to combine. Add the beaten egg and stir until well blended.

Sprinkle the surface of the reserved hot drippings in the skillet with the teaspoon of cornmeal. Pour the cornbread batter into the prepared skillet. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a deep golden brown. Remove from the oven and turn out onto a serving plate.

NOTES From my grandmother: if self-rising cornmeal is unavailable, substitute 2 cups regular cornmeal combined with 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt.

The additional cornmeal sprinkled in the skillet right before baking crisps the crust and helps prevent sticking.

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