I’m a Southern raised girl through and through. That basically means I love just about any classic down south dish that hits the dinner table. That’s where this Corn Pone comes in. This corn pone serves! It’s rich, dense, and yet still moist and crisp around the edges. I make it with cornmeal, heavy cream and of course, some bacon fat. If you’ve never had it, you’re in for a big treat boos.
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Corn Pone ingredient notes
- Cornmeal- I prefer a fine yellow cornmeal here.
- Boiling Water- This will help bind the cornmeal, and also keep the texture super moist.
- Bacon Fat- A neutral oil like vegetable oil or canola will work fine here.
- Heavy Whipping Cream- Half and half is a great substitute.
- Baking Powder- If you ran out, mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda with 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar to use instead.
- Vegetable Oil: Or any neutral oil.
How to make Corn Pone
Step 1: Mix together cornmeal, salt and bacon fat. Pour the mixture into the boiling water and stir until it’s mixed up.
Step 2: Add your eggs and heavy cream to the mix. Stir it up and allow it to cool for 60 minutes.
Step 3: Prep your cast iron skillet by adding oil and heating it up in a pre-heated 400 degree oven. Add in your baking powder and mix it up. Pour your mixture into the hot greased skillet.
Step 4: Bake your corn pone for 25-35 minutes, let it rest then serve it up!
Corn Pone
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Ingredients
- 3 cups cornmeal
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup bacon fat or canola oil
- 2/3 cup boiling water
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp vegetable oil
Instructions
- Mix cornmeal, salt and bacon fat. Pour this mixture into the boiling water and stir until well mixed.
- Next add eggs and cream and stir. Allow it to cool for 60 minutes.
- Once 45 minutes have passed, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Add oil to the cast iron skillet and once the oven reaches temperature place the skillet in the oven to heat up the oil.
- Once the mixture has cooled for 60 minutes, mix everything super well then add in the baking powder. Check the consistency now. If it is thick but still pourable and doesn't look dry, go ahead and continue. If it seems a bit dry, add a little more boiling water or some extra heavy cream and mix until it looks moister.
- Pour the pone into the hot, greased cast iron skillet and bake for 25-35 minutes and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Preheat that Skillet boos: This is how you get that perfect crispy crust!
- Hot Water is Necessary: Don’t skip this step. That water needs to be boiling so it activates the cornmeal creating the right texture.
- Don’t Overmix y’all: Don’t nobody want a tough corn pone. Just mix until its combined so we get a nice tender crumb.
- Rest that Batter: This step takes some time but it allows the cornmeal to hydrate well.
- Adjust the Consistency if needed: If you see the batter seems too thick, add more boiling water starting at just a tablespoon until it reaches a nice pouring consistency.
- Want more moisture? Add a bit more heavy cream. This recipe is super easy to adjust.
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Recipe help
Yep you know it y’all. Cool completely and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. You can store at room temp up to 2 days.
Corn pone’s texture and consistency is slightly different because it uses boiling water. Cornbread has more of a fluffy texture while corn pone is a bit denser and also thicker too.
Now corn pone is a bit dense in texture but it definitely shouldn’t be dry! Before the batter is baked, it should be thick but pourable. If it’s too thick, add more boiling water starting with a tablespoon or two and mix up. You can even add a little more heavy cream to make sure it comes out moist and delish!
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I had never tasted corn pone before! Wow so so good! I’m hooked.
My grandmother used to make this and I wanted to recreate it! This recipe was perfect and reminded me of hers. So tasty!
Oh man this corn pone is so good! What makes it so delicious is the bacon fat! What a fantastic ingredient for this recipe!
Such a classic baking recipe! I love that you used the iron skillet as it keeps an even temperature while baking. I enjoyed all the expert tips too, thank you!
we cooked bacon especially for this recipe and used the fat as well as crumbled bacon. SO delicious!
I can’t get over how simple and easy this recipe is! I also love your idea of serving it with honey..yum!!
I’m pretty much a fan of all cornbread. But made with bacon drippings?! Heck. Yes. I’ll take two slices!!
Oh yum! The texture of this Corn Pone sounds absolutely fantastic! I love how versatile it is and how it can be served in both sweet and savory ways.
To me, the bacon fat is essential. Fry up some bacon if you must instead of using oil.
This corn pone looks delicious! I typically don’t put eggs or cream/milk in mine, but i’m excited to try this version! Such a simple and hearty southern dish!
Corn is my favorite! This was so darn delicious! So glad I have bacon drippings at all times!