I have a friend from Missouri who is always talking about how fabulous real corn bread is…and that our version of corn bread is actually a cheap knock off called corn cakes.
He’s coming over for dinner and I’d like to make him some corn bread…anyone know how to make Missouri real corn bread?
Ah, the great cornbread controversy. 
Purists will claim that “authentic” cornbread doesn’t include sweeteners of any kind. Personally, I think that makes for a less succulent bread, but it takes all kinds I guess. Here’s a recipe for unsweetened bread. Be sure to preheat your pan (preferably cast iron) to get a nicely formed crust.
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup stone ground cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1 tablespoon shortening
Directions
1 Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Melt the shortening in one 9 inch round iron skillet in the heating oven.
2 Stir the cornmeal, salt and baking soda together. Add the egg and buttermilk and mix well.
3 Remove skillet from the oven and pour the batter into the skillet, stirring the melted shortening into the batter.
4 Bake at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven when top of cornbread is brown and turn out on to a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve immediately with butter.
I don’t know about Missouri cornbread, but we covered the general recipe a while back…
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=161738
thanks
Since this is about cooking, I’ll move this thread to Cafe Society.
bibliophage
moderator GQ
My favorite cornbread is the kind that uses bacon fat in place of shortening. Mmmmmmmm.
That is exactly how I make corn bread.
EXACTLY.
I think it’s the buttermilk that makes it so good. I LOVE this stuff, but ONLY from a cast iron skillet, and ONLY when it’s right out of the oven.
I’m starving just thinking about this!
And btw, I’m from Missouri. haha