Cornbread on the Stovetop?

Question

Besides the 105 degrees here in Texas outside, heating the oven is such an energy burner, and my autolighter got zapped in a power surge, so I'm looking for the innovative types that have master cooking corn bread, in a cast iron skillet, on top of the stove rather than in the oven?

Now, before you laugh, shake your head, or mutter 'idiot' -- those cowboys made cornbread on the open-pit campfires, yes? And I was a Cub Scout once, and camped, but can't remember cornbread being one of the staples of campfire cooking. So any of y'all been on a wagon train lately and care to share with this city-ite how one might perform this magic feat?

Anyone? Any advice or suggestions welcomed.

Thanks!

Answer

I've made stovetop cornbread from a mix in a small, well (bacon) greased, cast iron skillet. My tips:
- Keep the flame Low after the skillet is up to heat
- Don't skimp on the bacon fat :-)
- Tightly cover with foil
- Flip the cornbread half way through the cooking time 

I think range cooks probably used a cast iron dutch oven and put coals on the purpose designed lid. Sometimes I wish I had one ....

Answer

I made cornbread in a cast iron skillet recently out of necessity. I had the skillet with the bacon grease sizzling hot over a med high heat. Poured the batter into the skillet, partially covered the skillet with a lid (so that it wasn't steaming the bread) and cooked for 20 minutes. It was crispy brown on the sides and bottom but of course didn't brown on top, I turned it upside down on the plate to serve so no one was the wiser... but it was delicious! Oh, by the way... this was in a park, I was going to bake it on the grill but the skillet wouldn't fit inside my little portable grill so I did it on a gas burner.

Answer

In this heat, I make cornbread in the waffle maker. That machine stays cool.

Answer

My grandfather made a fabulous cornbread in an electric skillet. He used Martha White self rising white cornmeal, flour, eggs & buttermilk and measured everything with a coffee cup. He liberally greased the skillet, put it on med low, covered it and flipped it 1/2 way through. I neglected to get his recipe & would GLADLY pay a large sum of cash to have it now. It was light, crunchy, corny and was a staple for every meal in my grandparent's house--I would KILL for a piece of his cornbread right now.

Answer

I make cornbread in an omelet pan like my mother did, except I don't have a thick cast aluminum pan like hers. I put oil in one side and pour the batter in. I use White Lily Buttermilk cornbread mix. I brush oil in the other half and cook it on MEDIUM on the burner, then flip it and cook the other side. I have done this camping, too.

Answer

Yummm..I use the stovetop skillet recipe that my great-grandmother passed down through the family to my mom and on to me. Simple, easy and good! 

http://www.chow.com/recipes/28730-mama-allens-skillet-cornbread

Answer

Well, I've never had the joy of being on a wagon train, (thank goodness!) but this might be the anwer you're seeking,Seeker775.. Have fun!

How to cook campfire cornbread
by Tierney O'Hara
Going camping?


Then pack your cast iron frying pan and don't forget the lid. Here's a quick and easy way to make corn bread for the whole family - and you can bake it right in the campfire. 


You can use a cornbread mix, but why not put the dry ingredients into a plastic Ziploc bag at home. Then when you're ready to make the cornbread, all you have to do is open your plastic bag and pour the dry ingredients into a bowl. Add in the eggs, milk, butter or oil and your batter is ready for baking.


Ingredients


2 Tablespoons bacon grease or oil for frying/baking the batter

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1 egg

1 cup milk

4 Tablespoons melted butter or oil


Place your cast iron frying pan over medium to hot coals until heated. Drop in about two tablespoons of bacon grease or cooking oil to season the bottom of the pan. 


When the oil or grease starts to sizzle, pour in the batter - spreading it evenly over the bottom of the pan.


If you're lucky enough to own an adorable corn stick, cast iron pan, use it if you wish but be sure to grease the bottom of the molds before spooning in the batter.


There are two schools of thought on campfire cornbread, the flippers and the lidders. 


The flippers don't use a top or lid and wait until they are sure the bottom of the bread is crispy, then they take a spatula and flip the cornbread over so the crust side is up. They continue to cook the cornbread until the bottom is crusty and mahogany in color. 


That's fine, but the method I've used and the method that seems to be the best loved is turning your cast iron frying pan into a little oven by keeping the lid on during cooking.


You can use a cast iron, Dutch oven to cook your cornbread, if you wish, but it is more difficult to remove the cornbread unless you happen to have an offset spatula at your campsite. 


For a whole meal in a pot, take the cornbread batter and spread it on top of a batch of hot, bubbling chili. Put the lid on and let it bake about twenty minutes or until the cornbread is cooked through and browned. Like cheese with your chili? Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the cornbread batter. Have a jar of sliced hot peppers with you? You can throw some peppers into the batter too.


Even if you're not going camping, the cornbread recipe above will work in an oven or even on the gas grill. But, for the best tasting cornbread ever, cook it over hot coals on a cool night at a campsite. Delicious!

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