Grandma's Cornbread

3 Tbsp bacon grease*

3 cups stone ground white corn meal**

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 ½ tsp salt

3 eggs

2 ½ cups whole buttermilk

Place a 9-inch cast iron skillet in a cold oven and set to 475°.

When oven reaches temperature, open door and carefully add bacon grease to the hot skillet.

While grease is melting, make the cornbread batter: Combine corn meal, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the eggs, then take the skillet out of the oven and (carefully!) pour the grease into the batter.

Return skillet to the oven and add the buttermilk, stirring the batter just until everything is combined. Let batter rest for 5 minutes.

Remove skillet from oven again and immediately pour in the batter (it should sizzle). Return to oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Immediately invert onto serving plate and eat up!

* Yes, you can substitute vegetable oil. You can also use whole milk (reducing amount to 2 cups) instead of buttermilk…but it won’t taste like grandma’s.

** Don’t use corn meal mix! Check the ingredient list if you’re unsure–mix will have flour, salt and leavening agents in addition to the corn meal.