Southern Sourdough Cornbread (Sourdough Discard Recipe)
Biscuits are delicious, and a crusty piece of bread is wonderful. But there are some times when your meal just desperately needs a delicious golden piece of cornbread. I’m looking at you, chili. Now, I am not one who likes overly sweet cornbread. I prefer a piece of cornbread that goes well with my meal. This Southern Sourdough Cornbread recipe is perfect and flexible for you to adjust the amount of sweetness you like in your cornbread. My favorite part is that can use sourdough discard in this recipe. It’s easy to whip up anytime you have discard that you need to use.
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Ingredient List For Southern Sourdough Cornbread
Cornmeal
Some recipes will call for half flour and half cornmeal, I love the texture of 100% cornmeal. Make sure to choose either a fine or medium grind (not course) or you can grind your own using popcorn and a grain mill.
Butter
Butter is essential for the flavor of this cornbread, so I do not recommend subbing for anything like avocado or olive oil.
Sourdough Starter (or sourdough discard)
The sourdough starter gives the Cornbread a slight extra tang that is just amazing! I love having a quick and delicious recipe to use up sourdough discard as well.
Buttermilk
Buttermilk is my dairy of preference for good, old fashioned cornbread. In a pinch, you can sub for regular whole milk or any plain, unsweetened milk of choice.
Eggs
Eggs make this sourdough discard cornbread moist and delicious. This is really important since we are using 100% cornmeal in this recipe.
Sugar
Just a hint of sugar goes a long way. This Southern Cornbread recipe is NOT sweet. This is a traditional southern buttermilk cornbread. The sugar simply enhances all the flavors.
Bacon Grease (optional)
If you have any bacon grease on hand, this is a great thing to use to grease the skillet before adding the cornbread batter! It adds so much amazing flavor because, well because it’s bacon. If you don’t have any bacon grease on hand, you can use butter in its place.
Tools and Equipment
9-inch Cast Iron Skillet
A 10-in skillet works well in this recipe too. I typically use my 12-inch skillet for everything, and I double this recipe (feeding a family of six over here!).
Grain Mill
If you want to grind your own cornmeal (and wheat for that matter!) I highly recommend a grain mill like this one. Get ready for a whole world of delicious and nutritious goodies to enter your life!
Variations and Customizations
Sweet Sourdough Cornbread
- Increase sugar: Use 50 g (1/4 cup) of sugar instead of 25 g.
- Add honey: Stir in 2 tablespoons of honey or maple syrup for a richer sweetness.
- Optional add-ins: Include 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen corn kernels for texture and sweetness.
- Baking time: The added moisture may require an extra 5 minutes of baking time.
Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread
- Cheese: Add 120 g (1 cup) of shredded sharp cheddar cheese to the batter. Sprinkle extra on top before baking.
- Jalapeños: Stir in 1/4 cup of diced fresh or pickled jalapeños (adjust to taste). For more heat, leave in some seeds.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
Storing:
Let the cornbread cool completely. Store in an airtight container or wrapped in foil at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing:
- Cool completely to room temperature.
- Cut into individual servings and wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil.
- Place wrapped pieces in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating:
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or on the counter for a few hours. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10-15 minutes, or microwave individual pieces for 20-30 seconds
Southern Sourdough Cornbread
Southern Sourdough Cornbread baked to perfection in a cast-iron skillet. A must-have recipe for any table.
Ingredients
- 230 g cornmeal (fine to medium grind)
- 56 g unsalted butter, melted (4 tbsp)
- 13 g bacon grease for pan, or additional butter
- Buttermilk (or milk of choice)
- 2 Eggs
- 25 g sugar (2 tbsp)
- 6 g sea salt (1 tsp)
- 6 g baking soda (1 tsp)
- 196 g sourdough starter (or discard)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the 9-inch skillet in the preheating oven.
- In a large bowl, mix together the cooled melted butter, the cornmeal, buttermilk, eggs, sugar, salt, baking soda, and sourdough starter. The batter will be very wet and loose, this is normal.
- Place the bacon grease (or 1 tablespoon of butter) in a 9-inch cast-iron skillet and return to oven to melt, careful not to burn the grease or butter.
- Once the bacon fat is melted, carefully remove the heated skillet from the oven and tilt it to coat the entire skillet with the bacon fat. You can also use a pastry brush to accomplish this. Pour the cornbread batter into the pan.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is a deep golden yellow and crispy edges. Remove the skillet from the oven. Let cool slightly, and serve the corn bread directly from the skillet.
Notes
Storage Instructions
Let the cornbread cool completely. Store in an airtight container or wrapped in foil at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
How to Freeze:
- Cool completely to room temperature.
- Cut into individual servings and wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil.
- Place wrapped pieces in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or on the counter for a few hours. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10-15 minutes, or microwave individual pieces for 20-30 seconds.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 268Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 5gProtein: 0g
