Whole-grain Buttermilk Cornbread

Did you know that most cornmeal sold in the US is a whole grain? Stone-ground yellow cornmeal contains some of the hull and germ in addition to the corn endosperm, giving it more flavor and nutritional value than steel-ground cornmeal, as well as a coarser texture. Blue cornmeal, which is ground from whole blue corn kernels, likewise is a nutritious whole grain but it can be difficult to find.

My whole grain buttermilk cornbread recipe uses stone ground yellow cornmeal and whole wheat flour instead of the usual white flour in order to maximize nutrition without sacrificing flavor. This recipe probably works just as well if you use blue cornmeal instead of yellow, but the color may be somewhat odd. If you've ever used blue cornmeal in a cornbread, please leave a comment to let us know how it turned out -- and please also leave a photo if you have one!

My recipe is an adaptation of the traditional buttermilk cornbread recipe from the 1970 cookbook Our Daily Bread by Stella Standard. Although I usually make and prefer to eat savory rather than sweet cornbread, this one has a delightfully mellow sweetness that's complementary, not cloying. It is very moist with a somewhat crumbly texture, at least when baked in a ceramic pan rather than a cast-iron skillet. And although I didn't add hot peppers to this recipe, there's no reason not to add some diced jalapenos or other spicy chilies if you  want a hot and spicy cornbread.

Ingredients
2 eggs, well-beaten

2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tsp salt
2 cups stone-ground yellow cornmeal
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup fresh-cut or frozen & thawed corn kernels

Preheat oven to 375°F, and grease an 8"x11" baking dish (the original recipe recommends dusting it with flour after greasing, but I didn't do that). Place the first four ingredients in a bowl and stir well to combine thoroughly. In a large bowl combine the cornmeal, flour and baking powder -- the original recipe recommends sifting but I didn't and instead simply stirred well to thoroughly mix together. Stir the liquid ingredients into the dry, then add the brown sugar & corn kernels and stir until thoroughly combined. Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake at 375°F until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 45 minutes or longer depending on your oven. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria
Carolina Sauce Company