Buttermilk cornbread

The Skillet Prep Place a 9-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven and preheat to 425°F. You want the skillet to be screaming hot.
Mix the Dry In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. (Notice: no flour! This keeps it crumbly and authentic).
The Sizzle Factor Once the oven is preheated, remove the hot skillet. Drop the bacon grease (or butter) into the pan. It should melt and smoke almost immediately. Swirl it around to coat the bottom and sides.
The Batter Whisk the buttermilk and egg together, then pour them into the dry ingredients. Stir just until combined.
The Secret Step Carefully pour about half of the hot grease from the skillet into your batter and stir it in. This makes the inside extra moist.
The Pour Pour the batter into the remaining hot grease in the skillet. It should sizzle loudly around the edges—that is the sound of the crust forming.
Bake Place it back in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the top is golden brown and the edges have pulled away slightly from the sides of the pan.

Don’t Overmix: If you stir the batter too much, the cornbread will become tough. A few lumps are perfectly fine.
The “No-Sugar” Rule: In the South, adding sugar makes it “corn cake,” not cornbread. The sweetness should come from the corn itself and whatever you spread on top.
The Flip: As soon as it comes out of the oven, some people like to flip the cornbread out onto a plate so the bottom crust stays crispy and doesn’t “steam” against the bottom of the pan.

Jalapeño Cheddar: Fold in 1 cup of shredded cheddar and 2 tablespoons of minced jalapeños for a spicy kick.
Cracklin’ Cornbread: Stir in 1/2 cup of crushed pork rinds (cracklins) for an extra-rich, smoky flavor.