The key to making perfect cornbread, according to a golf resort chef

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A staple during the summer months, especially at cookouts – not to mention a side dish at classic barbecue restaurants across the country – cornbread is always in season. That means it deserves a place on your festive table this winter. But don’t worry, delicious cornbread doesn’t require expert baking skills; Unlike traditional bread, this Southern comfort food has a low barrier to entry.

“Cornbread,” says Iain Jones, the chef at The Sea Pines Resort, “is easier than most people think.”

It’s also almost universally loved, which Jones explains by pointing out three key aspects of the dish.

“It’s hearty. It’s comforting. And a big part of the appeal is nostalgia — think of the time your grandmother made it,” he says. “It’s very versatile and it goes with so many things.”

In fact, Jones’ cornbread muffins (recipe shared below) contain minced garlic and chopped fresh rosemary, meaning they’ll almost certainly go with the other plates and entrees that make up your holiday package. So roll up your sleeves, get out that stand mixer, and – following Chef Jones’ advice – get ready to whip up a batch of mouth-watering, homemade cornbread.

Texture is important

When choosing ingredients, pay attention to the finer details – literally. The coarseness of the flour and cornmeal you use can make significant differences in the final product.

“When working with cornmeal, I prefer a flour that is a little more refined,” explains Jones, highlighting King Arthur brand Sir Galahad bleached all-purpose flour as an excellent choice. “A flour that is coarser milled will give your cornbread a rougher texture.”

Likewise, the chef likes to use a more refined cornmeal. “I like cornmeal with a finer texture,” he says, acknowledging that this too affects consistency and density. “I don’t want to bite into a piece of cornbread that has a big crunch.”

Getting into the mix

Like other breads and pastries, cornbread suffers when the batter is overworked before baking. As Jones acknowledges, you want to mix the dry and wet ingredients until they are just fully incorporated. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a batch of cornbread that is “tough and chewy.”

During this step, the chef likes to add alternating portions of flour mixture and then milk, always starting with the dry ingredients and ending with them as well. In the alternative – combining all the ingredients at the same time and walking away from the mixer – problems can arise. So keep an eye on how the ingredients are being incorporated, and when it looks like the last of the flour mixture has been combined, turn off the mixer.

“At the end,” he says, “just scrape down the sides of the bowl and fold everything in by hand to make sure it’s properly incorporated.”

Don’t worry too much about stopping the process when the ingredients have ‘just been processed’. While you don’t want the batter to overwork, running the mixer a few cycles longer than necessary won’t break it.

“A few turns around the bowl won’t be the difference between something great and something terrible,” assures the chef.

Knowing how it will turn out

You have options when it comes to how you want to bake your cornbread. If you want a loaf with crispy outer edges, go the route of a cast-iron skillet. Make sure it is well greased with butter, oil or bacon fat and, just as important, make sure it is preheated.

“You want the pan to be nice and hot so that when you pour your batter in,” says Jones, “it creates a nice crust around it.”

If you’re looking for a lighter or softer form of cornbread, the chef recommends using a muffin pan or Madeline pans.
Regardless of which vessel you use, Chef Jones suggests baking the bread at 325 degrees in a convection oven or at 350 degrees in a traditional oven. If you use smaller pans, the cornbread will probably be ready in 10 to 15 minutes. If you go the large cast iron skillet route, it will probably take between 20 and 25 minutes. As for how to tell when the bread is done, Chef Jones says cornbread follows the same basic principles as cupcakes.

“When you press on the top, it should bounce back, but not be firm,” he says. “You want it to be light golden brown around the edges.”

Milking

Much has been said about Chef Jones’s favorite flours and cornmeal, and he is also picky about the milk he uses. Specifically, he encourages home bakers to use buttermilk instead of traditional milk, especially if the recipe calls for baking soda.

“It has a nice tang, and it adds a little bit of acid, which reacts with your leavening agents to produce something lighter,” he says. “It’s about the chemical reactions: when you work with baking soda, you need an acid to activate it. Traditional milk doesn’t provide that.”

When and how to improvise

If you want to customize your cornbread, you can fold some ingredients into the batter without affecting how it bakes. These mostly dry ingredients include chopped jalapenos and shredded cheddar cheese.

“You don’t have to worry too much about this affecting the recipe,” says Jones, “because you’re not adding more liquid.”

Problems arise when bakers try to add or replace wet ingredients, such as creamed corn. That doesn’t mean these adjustments can’t work, but they do require additional adjustments to the volumes of some of the other ingredients. For that reason, Chef Jones likes to rely on culinary advice he received years ago.

“My old chef always told me, ‘Every time you try a new recipe, make it three times [before you modify it]. That way you understand the how and why behind why it works.’”

Cornbread muffins with rosemary

Thanks to Iain Jones, Executive Chef at Sea Pines Resort

Yield Approximately: 18 muffins, 36 mini muffins

Ingredients:

375 g all-purpose flour
300 grams of cornmeal
300 g sugar
12 g baking powder
3 grams of baking soda
360 g butter, soft
225 g buttermilk
5 whole eggs
14 g fresh garlic, finely chopped
6 g fresh rosemary, chopped
7 g salt

Preparation method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees for convection ovens).

Grease mini or regular muffin tins with butter or oil.

In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

When the butter is soft, use a stand mixer or hand mixer on medium speed to cream the butter and sugar together. Beat for 3 to 5 minutes or until the mixture is pale and fluffy.

Gradually add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well with each addition.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and then add the dry ingredients. Alternate adding the flour mixture with portions of buttermilk. Make sure you start and end with the dry ingredients. (Mix until just combined. Do not overmix!)

Fold in the chopped rosemary and minced garlic.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pans and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. (Gently press the center of the muffin with your finger. It should spring back without leaving an indentation.)

When done, remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes before removing from the tins.