Southern-Style Cornbread

1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Add bacon drippings to 8-inch cast-iron skillet and place skillet in preheating oven.
2. Place 1⁄3 cup cornmeal in medium bowl and set aside. Mix remaining 2⁄3 cup cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in small bowl; set aside.
3. Pour boiling water over reserved 1⁄3 cup cornmeal and stir to make stiff mush. Gradually whisk in buttermilk, breaking up lumps until smooth. Whisk in egg. When oven is up to temperature and skillet very hot, stir dry ingredients into mush mixture until just moistened. Carefully remove skillet from oven. Pour hot bacon fat from skillet into batter and stir to incorporate, then quickly pour batter into heated skillet. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately turn cornbread onto wire rack; let cool for 5 minutes, then serve.

SOUTHERN-STYLE CORN STICKS

MAKES ABOUT 12 CORN STICKS
Corn stick pans have anywhere from 7 to 12 molds. If your pan has fewer than 12 molds, you will need to bake the sticks in two batches.
Substitute heavy-gauge corn stick pan for cast-iron skillet; heat pan in oven as directed, omitting fat. Remove hot pan from oven, brush molds generously with bacon fat, then fill almost to rim with batter. Bake until cornbread is golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Turn sticks onto rack to cool. If making second batch, wipe crumbs from molds and reheat pan in oven for 5 minutes before brushing with additional fat and filling with remaining batter.

SOUTHERN-STYLE CORNBREAD FOR NORTHERN TASTES
The addition of extra sugar and cake flour moves this cornbread a small step away from its Southern roots. Though still very far removed from Northern-style cornbread, this version has a subtle sweetness and a very fine texture.
Increase sugar to 3 tablespoons and add 1⁄4 cup cake flour to dry ingredients.