New Year's Southern Style: The Cornbread

Steps

1. 1Heat the oven to 400℉ with a rack in the middle position. Lube the interior of an 8 or 9-inch cast iron skillet with about 2 teaspoons of oil and wipe out excess with a paper towel, being careful to wipe all the way up the sides. Park the skillet in the oven for 30 minutes.
2. 2Meanwhile, whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk the eggs, vegetable oil, and buttermilk in a second bowl then add the egg mixture to the cornmeal mixture and fold with a silicone spatula until it just comes together. (See note)
3. 3Remove the skillet from the oven and carefully pour the batter in, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. The interior temp should be between 200℉-205℉.
4. 4Remove the cornbread to cool on the stovetop, trivet, or cooling rack for 5 minutes before turning it out of the pan onto a cutting board. Slice (I prefer a serrated bread knife), and serve with plenty of quality butter.