Oprah's Skinny Cornbread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between New York cornbread and southern cornbread? ›

While both styles generally use the same ingredients -- cornmeal, flour, eggs, and baking powder -- the variance lies in the flavor and texture. Northern-style cornbread tends to be sweeter, moister, and cake-like compared to its Southern counterpart.

Replace milk or water with creamed corn.

If your recipe calls for milk or water, try replacing it with creamed corn. This will give your cornbread a richer, creamier texture that will help it hold its shape for much longer.

To achieve the crispiest golden crust on your cornbread, Delk Adams instructs you to grease the skillet liberally with bacon grease (if you don't have that, shortening, butter, or oil will do), then pop it into the hot oven for 5 minutes before pouring the batter in.

Regularly eating whole-grain corn has been linked to a lower risk of certain chronic diseases, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and may help support digestive health. Cornmeal also delivers vitamins and minerals including phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, selenium, and thiamin.

The most common theory is a change in cornmeal itself. Until early in the 20th century, Southern cornmeal was made with sweeter white corn and it was water-ground. When industrial milling came along, that changed. The steel-roller mills used yellow corn that was harvested before it was ripe, so it had less sugar.

As for the best cornmeal for cornbread, either fine- or medium-grind cornmeal is a great choice. Medium-grind cornmeal will bring slightly more texture and grittiness to the batter, which you may or may not want (it's up to you!). You can use fine or medium cornmeal in these extra corny muffins.

By letting the cornbread batter sit at room temperature before baking, the cornmeal has some extra time to absorb the flavor from the other ingredients, and the baking powder gets a head start. I love using my cast-iron skillet for cornbread and preheat it before adding my batter.

The extra egg which is increased protein and binder makes the cornbread denser and heavier in texture.

Cornbread is known for being dry, and that's because it's not properly hydrated. This can lead to unpleasant. hard bits that get stuck in your teeth, making the final product taste even drier. Start by soaking your cornmeal and buttermilk overnight. or up to 24 hours.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar (if using), baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the egg/milk mixture, along with the melted butter. Gently stir, just to combine. The batter should be thick, but still pourable.

Should you soak cornmeal before making cornbread? ›

Soaking the cornmeal in buttermilk for a few hours, or even overnight, tenderizes the large grains of cornmeal, making the bread more moist and tender.

Preheat your pan

You WANT some sizzle here. This helps develop the perfect crust and keeps your cornbread from being too crumbly. Stick your skillet in the oven to warm up as it preheats; it usually takes 10 to 15 minutes to get your skillet to just the right temperature!

Neither cornmeal, sugar or "flour" (which is non specified so am assuming its wheat flour) are suitable for type 2 diabetics. Use a natural sugar substitute and the recipe might work with buckwheat flour perhaps?

Finally, keep in mind that some types of cornbread — including processed or store-bought varieties — may be high in sodium. Consuming high amounts of sodium may increase blood pressure, especially among people who are more sensitive to the effects of salt ( 22 ).

Cornbread can help lower cholesterol levels thanks to its soluble fiber. Soluble fiber helps to reduce cholesterol. It works by binding with bile acids and removing them from the body before they can be reabsorbed into the bloodstream. This helps to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and improve overall heart health.

Hot water cornbread

This type of cornbread is often known as "hot water" or "scald meal" cornbread and is unique to the American South.

The verdict: Northern cornbread's cakey texture and sweetness allow it to be a stand-alone dish, complete without any mix-ins. It can still be used to soak up other foods, like cranberry sauce, but its sweetness makes it less versatile than Southern cornbread, and more suited to accompany other sweet foods.

The only substantial difference between white cornmeal and yellow cornmeal is right there in the names: their colors. The two varieties get their hues from nothing more than the different colors of the kernels of corn from which they are ground.

Cornbread is a quick bread made with cornmeal that may or may not contain sugar and is usually baked in a skillet, pan, or into sticks. Corn muffins are baked in muffin tins and contain cornmeal and generous amounts of sugar; most are more cake-like in texture.