what is Corn Bread and how is it made?

Question

i hear about corn bread all the time but what is it exactly and how can i make it

Answer 1

Cornbread is a generic name for any number of quick breads (a bread leavened chemically, rather than by yeast) containing cornmeal. As maize (also known as corn) is native to North America, it is not surprising that the various kinds of cornbreads are more prevalent in the New World. However, polenta is a kind of cornbread that is common in Italy

Types of cornbread
Cornbread is a popular item in soul food enjoyed by many people for its texture and scent. Cornbread can be baked, fried or, rarely, steamed. Steamed cornbreads are mushy, chewier and more akin to cornmeal pudding than what most consider to be traditional cornbread.

Skillet-baked cornbread
The most common variety, skillet-baked cornbread (often simply called skillet bread) is a traditional staple of rural cuisine in the United States of America, especially in the Southern United States and involves heating bacon drippings, lard or other oil in a heavy, well-seasoned cast iron skillet in an oven, and then pouring a batter made from cornmeal, egg and buttermilk directly into the hot grease. The mixture is returned to the oven to bake into a large, crumbly cake. This bread will tend to be dense, meant more as an accompaniment than as a bread meant to stand on its own. In addition to the skillet method, such cornbread can also be made in sticks, muffins or loaves.

Corn pone
Corn pone (sometimes referred to as "Indian pone") is a type of cornbread, made of a thick, malleable dough made of cornmeal or hominy grits, shaped by hand and then baked or fried in butter, margarine, lard or bacon grease. Corn pone has been a staple of Southern U.S. cuisine, and has been discussed by many American writers, including Mark Twain. Typically corn pone is formed in two to three inch oval shapes and features a crunchy and/or chewy texture.

The term "corn pone" is sometimes used as a noun to refer to one who possesses certain rural, unsophisticated peculiarities ("he's a corn pone"), or as an adjective to describe particular rural, folksy or "hick" characteristics (e.g., "corn pone" humor). The term is sometimes intended as a pejorative, often directed at persons from rural areas of the southern and midwestern U.S.

Hot water cornbread
Cooked on a rangetop, one frying method involves pouring a small amounts of liquid batter made with boiling water and self-rising cornmeal (cornmeal with soda or some other chemical leavener added) into a skillet of hot oil, and allowing the crust to turn golden and crunchy while the center of the batter cooks into a crumbly, mushy bread. These small (3-4" diameter) fried breads are soft and very rich. Sometimes, to ensure the consistency of the bread, a small amount of wheat flour is added to the batter. This type of cornbread is often known as "hot water" cornbread and is unique to the American South.

Jonnycakes
Pouring a batter similar to that of skillet-fried cornbread, but slightly thinner, into hot grease atop a griddle or a skillet produces a pancake-like bread called a johnnycake, johnny cakes, jonnycake, ashcake, battercake, hoecake, hoe cake, journey cake, mush bread, Shawnee cake, jonakin, and jonikin. The origin of the name is unclear, possibly from 'journey cake' as a bread easily prepared by travellers, or as a corruption of 'Shawnee cake', or based on a forgotten Indian word. This type of cornbread is prevalent in the American Midwest and South.

Hushpuppies
A thicker buttermilk-based batter which includes chopped onions and occasionally beer, and is deep-fried rather than pan-fried, forms the hushpuppy, a common accompaniment to fried fish and other seafood in the South.

A typical contemporary northern U.S. cornbread (referred to in the South as "Yankee Cornbread") recipe contains half wheat flour, half cornmeal, milk, eggs, leavening agent, salt, and usually sugar, resulting in a bread that is somewhat lighter and sweeter than its more traditional southern counterpart.

Answer 2

Quick breads are leavened with baking powder (and sometimes baking soda as well), so they rise instantly.

6 serving recipe 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, milk or yogurt.
4 tablespoons butter.
1/4 cup sugar.
1 1/2 cups medium grind cormeal.
1/2 cup all purpose flour.
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder.
1 teaspoon salt.
1 egg.

Preheat oven to 375 f.
Place the butter in a medium ovenproof skillet or in an 8 inch square baking pan over medium heat; heat until good and hot, about 2 minutes, then turn off the heat. Meanwhile, combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix the egg into the buttermilk, milk or yogurt, or soured milk. Stir the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients, combining well; if it seems too dry, add another tablespoon or two of milk. Pour the batter into the preheated mutter smooth out the top in necessary and place in oven.
Bake about 30 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and the sides have pulled away from the pan. Serve hot or warm.

I can't take credit for this recipe but I have used it a number of times and it reates a great tasting cornbread!

Answer 3

I have a great recipe for cornbread. If you just make it from a box mix you may not like it because it tends to be dry. This one is really moist!

CORN BREAD

1 8.5 oz box of jiffy corn muffin mix
2 slightly beaten eggs
1 8 oz tub of sour cream
1 8 oz can of creamed corn
1/2 cup melted butter

Mix ingredients. Bake @ 400 degrees for 40 minutes in an 8x8 square pan or 11x7 pan.

Answer 4

It is a coarse bread made with corn meal - it's great with chili. Here is a recipe below:

Also good with butter and honey.

Try it you'll like it!

Answer 5

Most people in Texas make it the way Smokey described the Skillet method. We usually add a handful of grated cheddar cheese and chopped jalepenos to the batter. It is much better if you bake it in the bacon grease in a cast iron skillet.

Answer 6

Cornbread is a variety of quick bread (a bread leavened chemically, rather than by yeast) containing cornmeal.

Answer 7

corn bread need eggs milk

Answer 8

just what Smokey said....it is really good with butter and dipped in beef gravy or eaten with beef stew,not exactly low cal but YUMMY!

Answer 9

buy a jiffy mix