Yankee Brown Butter Cornbread
Northern adaptation of a Southern adaptation of a Native American staple
We think of cornbread as belonging to African-American communities in the South. It actually dates back to Native American cuisine.
In Arizona, the Hopi made pancakes from cornmeal. The Hidatsa in the upper Midwest made a baked version that we would recognize today. Seneca and Cherokee tribes raised theirs to loftier heights with the inclusion of chestnuts, berries, apples, and seeds. Here’s the Art of Cornbread from the Oneida Nation.
In communities where wheat flour is more expensive, cornmeal is often a staple. More recently, varying grinds are used widely to make both Northern and Southern cornbread, dressing (stuffing) at Thanksgiving, and the famous, ubiquitous Southern grits.
If you ask a Southerner if sweetener belongs in the recipe, they may look at you as if you were simple. Northerners tend to make theirs sweetened, what Southerners would call “cake”. Try this Sweet Cornbread is Cake recipe from Southern Living.
This recipe combines the best of both Northern and Southern traditions, baked in a skillet with nutty, fragrant brown butter. It just doesn’t get any better. Serve it with ribs, pulled pork, bacon and eggs, or oven-warmed with maple syrup for breakfast. You’ll love it.
Recipe
Ingredients
7 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup medium grind cornmeal
1 cup AP flour
4 tbsp regular sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 large eggs
6 oz. (3/4 cup) sour cream
4 oz. (1/2 cup) buttermilk
Directions
Preheat oven to 425º
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients, set aside.
Cut butter into 8 pieces, place into a cast iron pan on medium heat.
Cook until foaming subsides, and the butter turns medium brown and smells nutty. Do not overcook.
Swirl to coat the sides of the pan.
Pour the butter into a large mixing bowl, leaving behind about 1 tbsp. Leave pan off heat.
Add the sour cream and buttermilk to the butter, combine.
Whisk the 2 large eggs, then add to the liquid mix and stir to combine.
Add the dry ingredients, whisk to combine and remove any lumps.
Heat the skillet for one minute on medium heat.
Spoon the batter into the warm pan, bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from oven, let cool on a rack for 10 minutes.
Cut and serve.