It’s a cool rainy day in the Mid-Atlantic, big southeast swells…just crying for some comfort food. I’ve eaten Spoon Bread before, served in traditional Southern restaurants, but have never made it myself. The origins are thought to be Native American, called “Owendaw Corn Bread.” The first known published recipe dates back to the 1847 cookbook “The Carolina Housewife” by Sarah Rutledge. My friend Carol dug up this recipe card, as close to her mother’s “in her head—never written down” recipe as she could find. It uses staple ingredients that you probably have on board, and looks delicious to me!
Spoon Bread differs from cornbread in being far more of a soufflé than a cake. So goes the name, you need to scoop it out with a spoon. But the uses of Spoon Bread are pretty similar to cornbread in that you can make it sweet…drizzle with honey, maple syrup or jam… or make it savory alongside fried chicken, fish, pork chops or Virginia ham.
Southern Spoon Bread
3/4 cup Old Fashioned Stoneground Cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup boiling water
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
Butter, for serving
Preheat your oven to 350º-400º. Grease an approximate 8″ baking dish with butter.
Melt 3 tablespoons butter on the stove or in the microwave. In a small separate bowl, beat two large eggs and set aside.
Combine the 3/4 cup of corn meal and salt into a mixing bowl. Set you tea kettle on the stove to boil water. Once to a boil, add 1 cup of boiling water to the corn meal and begin whisking immediately. Continue to whisk in the melted butter. Let stand for about 5 minutes for the cornmeal to absorb the water and butter.
Whisk one cup of milk into the cornmeal mixture. Whisk in the beaten eggs along with 2 teaspoons of baking powder. Beat well and pour the batter into the greased baking dish.
Pour into pan. (can you spot a pug?)
Bake in your preheated oven for 35-45 minutes. Rotate the pan once midway through for more even baking. (especially if you have a newer Force 10 with burner in the back.)
Check to see if it is baked through. You can do the “wiggle test” to see if it looks cooked through or stick a knife in to see if it comes out clean.
Good chance it is cooked but does not have that nice “browning” on the top. Add a few pats of butter and light your broiler. Keep a close watch as it will brown quickly.
Remove from the oven and serve hot.
I had a sweet tooth today so scooped some Spoon Bread onto a plate, dotted with butter and drizzled with local Poplar Hill Honey that you can pick up at Annabeth’s if you’re in the Annapolis region. Yum!!
Or serve as a side to a Southern entree such as pork chops and green beans.
Southern Spoon Bread
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Cornmeal
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Boiling water
- 3 tbsp Melted butter
- 1 cup Milk
- 2 Large eggs
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- Butter for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350º-400º. Grease an approximate 8" baking dish with butter.
- Melt 3 tablespoons butter on the stove or in the microwave. In a small separate bowl, beat two large eggs and set aside.
- Combine the 3/4 cup of corn meal and salt into a mixing bowl. Set you tea kettle on the stove to boil water. Once to a boil, add the 1 cup of the boiling water to the corn meal and begin whisking immediately. Continue to whisk in the melted butter. Let stand for about 5 minutes for the cornmeal to absorb the water and butter.
- Whisk one cup of milk into the cornmeal mixture. Whisk in the beaten eggs along with 2 teaspoons of baking powder. Beat well and pour the batter into the greased baking dish.
- Bake in your preheated oven for 35-45 minutes. Turn the pan once midway through for more even baking.
- Check to see if it is baked through. You can do the "wiggle test" to see if it looks cooked through or stick a knife in to see if it comes out clean.
- Good chance it is cooked but does not have that nice "browning" on the top. Add a few pats of butter and light your broiler. Keep a close watch as it will brown quickly.
- Remove from the oven and serve hot with butter on top. This can be served as a savory side dish along with pork chops, chicken or fish. Or keep it sweet by adding a little honey, maple syrup or jam.
Notes
