Skillet
Jalapeño Cheddar Skillet Cornbread
A hot skillet gives the batter a fried edge. Jalapeño and cheddar are folded in, not sprinkled as an afterthought.
Allergens: Flour is wheat. Buttermilk, butter, and cheddar are dairy. Eggs are in the batter.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 tablespoon for the skillet
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
- 1 large jalapeño, thinly sliced, seeds left in if you want heat
Method
- Heat the oven to 425°F. Set a 10-inch cast-iron skillet inside to heat for 10 minutes.
- Whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In a second bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter.
- Pour the wet mix into the dry mix and stir just until no dry streaks remain. Fold in the cheddar and most of the jalapeño slices, saving a few for the top.
- Take the skillet out carefully. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and swirl it. Scrape in the batter, smooth the top, and lay the saved jalapeño slices on it.
- Bake 20 to 24 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
- Cool in the skillet 10 minutes before cutting. The edge should crackle when the knife goes through.
Storage
Wrap cooled wedges and keep them at room temperature for one day, or refrigerate for three. Toast a wedge in a dry skillet to bring the crust back.
Kitchen notes
Buttermilk activates the soda, so do not swap in regular milk without adding a teaspoon of vinegar and letting it stand for five minutes. Fresh jalapeño heat varies by pepper; taste a sliver before you commit the seeds.
This bread wants to be eaten warm beside a pot of beans or with the cabbage steaks. It is not a sweet bakery muffin. The tablespoon of sugar only rounds the corn flavor.
Kitchen notes, not medical advice. These pages describe how to cook food. They do not diagnose, treat, or promise any health result. If you have an allergy or need a specific eating pattern, follow the advice of a qualified professional.