EDDIE’S CORNBREAD

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.   Also have 2 black iron skillets heated up.  If you don’t have black iron skillet – improvise today and buy some tomorrow.  
You can get good ones at the Cracker Barrel or Vermont Country Store. Lodge is a good brand.

This is not a cake-like texture.  

1-1/2 Cup Cornmeal
1/2 Cup Flour
1 Teaspoon Sugar
4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1-1 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Egg
Buttermilk (or milk) until soupy (about a quart)
3 Tablespoon Melted Shortening (divide and melt in each skillet but not too early)

In a bowl, mix first 6 ingredients with fork or whisk. Add egg and buttermilk until soupy (like a cream soup texture) not liquidey or watery, mixing in quickly and well.  A hand-mixer works well. You will need 2 skillets for this amount.  It is not thick cornbread (about 1-1/2″ thick).  If you want thicker, adjust the cooking time and use 9×11 pan. 

Melt 1-1/2 tablespoon butter until hot but not burning. Pour into cornbread mixture and stir until it’s incorporated. Pour cornbread mixture back into hot skillets (which gives a crispy bottom on cornbread).

Bake 400 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top (using a toothpick or piece of spaghetti to poke in center to make sure it is done, i.e., doesn’t come out wet).