Really, really good Cornbread

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drmoss_ca
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Re: Really, really good Cornbread

Post by drmoss_ca »

I make refried beans, and get them hot enough by using chilli powder, paprika and mustard powder in the oil before adding onions and cooked beans. Then I add my favourite hot sauce (Fear Itself) until it tastes right. Always open to seeing other versions though!

I don't know if it's sold in the US but the Yves brand of fake meat products comes in a version that emulated ground beef and makes good chilli or bolognese sauce.

C.
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ShadowsDad
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Re: Really, really good Cornbread

Post by ShadowsDad »

Never heard of that brand of faux meat. I haven't looked for it, but I've seen on our cooking shows something called saitan (sp?) a sort of gluten product if I remember correctly, that is treated with soy sauce and whatnot during the cooking to mimic meat. I don't spend a lot of time looking for food substitutes since I'm a meat eater. But I do have some cans of TVP of various types in the long term storage foods.

My refried beans aren't hot, that's done later. There are just too many folks here in Maine who can't eat hot stuff. I once took a ration of manure from a gent from down south who was told to use the hot sauces on the table to get what he wanted for heat. But if I cook hot that means lots of folks can't eat it. Heck, when I was working I knew one gent who thought salt was a risque "spice". That isn't a stretch or a joke. I couldn't imagine going through life that way.

I'll see if I can find the recipe but I can't look today.
Brian

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Or find it here: Italian Barber, West Coast Shaving, Barclay Crocker, The Old Town Shaving Company at Stats, Maggard Razors; Leavitt & Peirce, Harvard Square
pausted
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Re: Really, really good Cornbread

Post by pausted »

Moving away from the bean discussion and back to cornbread :) I made a batch this afternoon using white corn meal and the exact same recipe as in the OP. There are several apparent differences in the finished product. First and most quickly noticed is the difference in sweetness. The bread is much less sweet when using the white meal even though the 1 tbl of sugar was the same. Squire hit the nail on the head, yellow cornmeal is naturally sweeter. Second, the bread is lighter. It rose more when baked even though the amount (1 tsp) of baking soda was the same. I didn't notice much difference in texture but it is certainly lighter. Finally, the yellow meal produces a more oily product. Again, Squire was right on.

I guess I prefer the yellow meal for sweetness and the white meal for lightness. It opens up possibilities for more experimentation. Maybe double the sugar when using the white meal or maybe half and half white and yellow meal for the next batch. We'll see.
Best regards,

Basil
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Re: Really, really good Cornbread

Post by ShadowsDad »

Basil, was there a difference in fineness of the grind between the 2 types that was obvious? I ask because I grind my own yellow cornmeal and I grind it almost as fine as wheat flour. I find a difference in lightness between mine and store bought Quaker Oats or stone ground from the natural food store (all yellow corn). I can't address the difference in taste since I've never ground white corn. But I'll inquire about a sack of white corn. They'll probably look at me strangely because it might not be native to my area and they might not have a supplier. My non-GMO yellow corn comes from Vermont.
Brian

Maker of Kramperts Finest Bay Rum and Frostbite
Or find it here: Italian Barber, West Coast Shaving, Barclay Crocker, The Old Town Shaving Company at Stats, Maggard Razors; Leavitt & Peirce, Harvard Square
pausted
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Re: Really, really good Cornbread

Post by pausted »

Brian, I used both meals from the same mill, the Guenther company in San Antonio. They are readily available in this area and sold at most supermarkets. The meals are the same grind as far as I can see and neither is as fine as you grind your corn. Both of them have the same texture in the mouth. The main difference is in the level of sweetness and a bit "lighter" in the white.
Best regards,

Basil
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Re: Really, really good Cornbread

Post by ShadowsDad »

Thanks. It was just a thought.

Yup, I'll have to try to get some white corn.
Brian

Maker of Kramperts Finest Bay Rum and Frostbite
Or find it here: Italian Barber, West Coast Shaving, Barclay Crocker, The Old Town Shaving Company at Stats, Maggard Razors; Leavitt & Peirce, Harvard Square
brothers
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Re: Really, really good Cornbread

Post by brothers »

I've had no luck finding blue meal on the shelves of local grocery stores, so I'll be quite satisfied to make my first batch from yellow. White sounds a bit mild for my taste for now.
Gary

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Sam
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Re: Really, really good Cornbread

Post by Sam »

Let me know how this recipe turns out in a cast iron skillet. And whether stovetop or oven
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Squire
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Re: Really, really good Cornbread

Post by Squire »

Sam cast iron works best for me, the trick is to preheat the skillet in the over before adding the batter. I've tried other utensils, steel, aluminum, sandwiched stainless, nothing beats cast iron, and always in the oven because, after all, we are baking bread.
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Squire
ShadowsDad
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Re: Really, really good Cornbread

Post by ShadowsDad »

I put in a special order for white corn at the local natural food store with no results found. It appears I'll need to get it online.
Brian

Maker of Kramperts Finest Bay Rum and Frostbite
Or find it here: Italian Barber, West Coast Shaving, Barclay Crocker, The Old Town Shaving Company at Stats, Maggard Razors; Leavitt & Peirce, Harvard Square
pausted
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Re: Really, really good Cornbread

Post by pausted »

I made another batch of cornbread yesterday and experimented with the ingredients. I had several goals in mind: I wanted to use ingredients that we normally have on hand so that I wouldn't have to go to the store in order to make a pan of cornbread. For example I used regular sweet milk rather than buttermilk. This required baking powder rather than baking soda (I read that somewhere). I wanted to have the sweetness of yellow corn meal but the lightness of white meal so I used a mix of both and added an extra tablespoon of sugar. Finally, I used corn oil rather than butter for the fat in the recipe. These changes resulted in a very enjoyable, flavorful cornbread. My wife said it was the best I had ever made. This may become my go-to recipe. Here it is:

1 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup white corn meal
1/2 cup yellow corn meal
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 tablespoons corn oil

Beat together the first 5 ingredients. ( Just a spoon, you don't need a mixer.) Stir in the cornmeal and flour. Add oil and mix. Pour batter into an 8X8 greased pan. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 30 minutes.
Best regards,

Basil
Barry
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Re: Really, really good Cornbread

Post by Barry »

Peter Reinhart's Bacon Cornbread is pretty amazing. However, it is probably the least healthy cornbread next to "crackling cornbread".

I don't feel comfortable posting the recipe here but you can find it at Leite's Culinaria website or in Reinhart's book - The Bread Baker's Apprentice or on other websites.
brothers
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Re: Really, really good Cornbread

Post by brothers »

Basil, tonight was my Benjamin Franklin birthday party (311 years). Our kids and their kids were here, and the menu was beans and ham, and cornbread, with apple dumplings and ice cream for dessert. Apple dumplings was a favorite of Mr. Franklin. It was a huge success. I quadrupled your recipe (the most recently updated one) and made two large pans of cornbread. I want to thank you for giving us this great recipe. I did substitute butter for the corn oil. Here is a picture of the beautiful fresh cornbread hot out of the oven. I think I have a consensus among all of the participants to repeat this event every January 17th from now on.

Image
Gary

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ShadowsDad
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Re: Really, really good Cornbread

Post by ShadowsDad »

Sounds good Gary!

I hope it was boiled ham. Back then w/o refrigeration meat was cooked and kept from spoiling by keeping it hot in water. Boiled smoked ham (not cured country ham) is pretty good and is known in Maine as NE boiled dinner. Franklins writings specifically mention him eating boiled meat.
Brian

Maker of Kramperts Finest Bay Rum and Frostbite
Or find it here: Italian Barber, West Coast Shaving, Barclay Crocker, The Old Town Shaving Company at Stats, Maggard Razors; Leavitt & Peirce, Harvard Square
pausted
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Re: Really, really good Cornbread

Post by pausted »

Gary, I am delighted that you enjoyed my recipe for your Ben Franklin Birthday party. The menu sounds great and I'm glad it was a big success. It makes me feel real good. :D
Best regards,

Basil
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