Rustic Skillet Cornbread

With a few simple ingredients, you can serve up a healthier cornbread, made with a bit of your sourdough starter, baked in true form in a rustic cast-iron skillet.

There is nothing like home-cooked food. I love nothing more than to have something savory simmering all day on the stove, and hear my children say, “Mom, what are you cooking? It smells amazing!” Then Man Cub comes home from a long day at work and declares, “Mmmm, sum’n smells yummy!”

When they all realize the smells are from some kind of stew or soup, their first question is always, “Did you make bread?” That’s why I love this recipe. It comes together quickly with just a little forethought in the morning.

Whole food Ingredients

I have switched all the flours I use for baking to those that are as ancient and heirloom as possible, such as kamut, einkorn, and spelt. Modern wheat has been hybridized and genetically modified to be stronger, yield larger, and contain more gluten. I’m sure the science behind this was well-meaning, but it has resulted in allergy issues with the current generation. Gluten intolerance anyone?

Using sourdough in all my bread recipes allows for better digestion and absorption of the nutrients that are locked up inside the grains. An educational video over at TradCookSchool explains the science behind a sourdough starter.

In my post Sourdough Starter From Scratch, I show you how to make your very own.

A few of my favorite ways to use my sourdough starter

• Simple Sourdough Skillet Pancake for Easy Weeknight Dinner
• Pumpkin Spice Soaked Granola

What is kamut flour anyway?

Some of the oldest wheat grains on earth are einkorn and kamut. Source Kamut, or Khorasan, wheat is an ancient grain, originating in the Middle East, that’s nutrient-rich and full of benefits, such as supporting bone health, aiding in digestion, supporting brain health, and lowering cholesterol. Source

Video Rustic Sourdough Skillet Cornbread

How to care for and use your cast iron

When I first married Man Cub, he had these ancient, caveman looking cookware. I was like, “What the heck are these, and what am I supposed to do with them?” I didn’t grow up around cast iron. In fact, I’m not sure I had ever seen one.

So when my dear husband tried to show me how to use his prized cookware — and by prized, I mean super proud that he owned these bodybuilding irons that I could hardly lift up onto the stove — his efforts fell upon a dazed and confused, honey-mooned bride.

It wasn’t until years later that I revisited these cast iron skillets when I heard about all the bad press associated with non-stick cookware, and decided to give these irons another try.

I found the best source for how to use and season cast iron. Check out the post, How to Season Cast Iron, to find out, too! It’s an excellent source to learn the how to and why.

Ingredients for rustic skillet cornbread

1 1/2 cups kamut flour, or flour of choice, i.e. einkorn, spelt, etc.

1 1/2 cups cornmeal

1/2 cup sourdough starter, active after a feeding or straight from fridge

1 1/2 cups milk or water

2 TBS fat for the skillet – bacon grease is especially nice; butter or coconut oil work just fine

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 TBL baking powder

3 eggs

2 TBL – 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup to taste, optional

1/4 cup melted butter, ghee, coconut oil (I’ve even used avocado oil when I’m in a hurry and want to skip the step of melting)

Instructions

1. Combine the flour, cornmeal, starter, and water or milk in a bowl, mixing to moisten everything. Cover and let rest in a warm place for 8-24 hours.
2. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Place a 10 or 12-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven with 2 Tbsp. bacon grease or coconut oil.
3. In a small bowl, whisk eggs and mix in honey and melted butter.
4. Pour wet ingredients into the soaked flour and fold in just a couple of times. Sprinkle salt, baking soda, and baking powder over the wet mixture. and fold over several times until thoroughly combined.
5. Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven, gently swirl the melted fat around to evenly coat the skillet, then pour the batter into the hot skillet.
6. Place skillet in oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Cool at least 10 minutes before cutting.

This recipe can be halved and used as a topping over a skillet meal. Simply brown up some meat, like hamburger, saute with onions, garlic, salt, pepper and other veggies of choice. If going for a Taco Tuesday theme, I add corn and peppers. Add some taco seasonings to taste like cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, and cayan. Then pour your cornbread mix over the top and bake in a 400º oven and check after 20 minutes. I call this Tamale Pie. I have no idea why, except that’s what my mom called her version when I was growing up. Hers included those nostalgic tiny blue boxes of cornbread mixes. Anybody? Awww, growing up in the ’80s. 😉

The options for a skillet meal topped with a cornbread topping are endless! Italian, curry, Mexican, broccoli cheese, Mediterranean, pizza, and so on.

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Rustic Skillet Cornbread

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups kamut flour or flour of choice, i.e. einkorn, spelt, etc.
• 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
• 1/2 cup sourdough starter, active after a feeding or straight from fridge
• 1 1/2 cups milk or water
• 2 TBS fat for the skillet – bacon grease is especially nice; butter or coconut oil work just fine
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 TBL baking powder
• 3 eggs
• 2 TBL – 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup to taste, optional
• 1/4 cup melted butter

Instructions

• Combine the flour, cornmeal, starter, and water or milk in a bowl, mixing to moisten everything. Cover let rest in a warm place for 8-24 hours.
• When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Place a 10 or 12-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven with 2 Tbsp. bacon grease or coconut oil.
• In a small bowl, whisk eggs and mix in honey and melted butter.
• Pour wet ingredients into the soaked flour and fold in just a couple of times. Sprinkle salt, baking soda, and baking powder over the wet mixture. and fold over several times until thoroughly combined.
• Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven, gently swirl the melted fat around to evenly coat the skillet, then pour the batter into the hot skillet.
• Place skillet in oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Cool at least 10 minutes before cutting.

Notes

This recipe can be halved and used as a topping over a skillet meal. Simply brown up some meat, like hamburger, saute with onions, garlic, salt, pepper and other veggies of choice. If going for a Taco Tuesday theme, I add corn and peppers. Add some taco seasonings to taste like cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, and cayan. Then pour your cornbread mix over the top and bake in a 400º oven and check after 20 minutes. I call this Tamale Pie. I have no idea why, except that’s what my mom called her version when I was growing up. Hers included those nostalgic tiny blue boxes of cornbread mixes. Anybody? Awww, growing up in the ’80s. 😉

 

The options for a skillet meal topped with a cornbread topping are endless! Italian, curry, Mexican, broccoli cheese, Mediterranean, pizza, and so on.

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What’s your favorite cornbread recipe?

Do you have a traditional, passed-down-from-grandma cornbread recipe that you cherish? Or are you looking for a new one to try? If so, let me know either way. I’d love to hear your story!

One of my favorite childhood memories is of my dad taking a square piece of leftover cornbread and placing it in a tall glass. He would then sprinkle sugar over the top, and pour milk all over the top and sides until the glass was full. I think it was his favorite way to eat cornbread.