# Stuff and Things > Cooking >  Why  did my cornbread turn out brown?

## Garden House Queen

My cornbread turned out light tan/brown......not yellow like it should be. No....I didn't burn it!  lol The cornmeal is about 2 years old...it's part of my SHTF stash and is sealed in a 2 gallon glass jar. It tasted fine but why the color difference? It was baked in an iron skillet.  GHQ
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*Cast Iron Cornbread*

There is nothing quite as comforting as steaming cornbread slathered in butter. I have warm memories of the cornbread my grandmother cooked with almost every supper we ate. Most people think of using a cast iron skillet for meat or vegetables, but not for baking. Still to this day many people bake with their cast iron.

*Ingredients:*


1 Tbsp bacon drippings or butter2 cups cornmeal OR 1 1/2 cups cornmeal and 1/2 cup flour1 teaspoon salt1 Tbsp sugar2 teaspoons baking soda1 egg1 1/4 cups buttermilk6 Tbsp butter, melted
*Step 1:*

Preheat your pan. Add your Tbsp. of bacon drippings or butter to the pan and place it in a 400 degree oven. If cooking over a fire, test the heat at cooking height. The ideal height would cause you to retract your hand after about two to three seconds. Adding a lid will make your cornbread cook more evenly.
*Step 2:*

Make the batter. Stir together all of your dry ingredients. Then add your egg, buttermilk, and melted butter. Stir together until smooth, although a few lump does not hurt anything.
*Step 3:*

Bake. Pour your batter into your preheated skillet. Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Check your finished product by inserting a toothpick or knife in the center. When it comes out clean and the edges near the pan are starting to turn brown, it should be done.
*Step 4:*

Let it cool and serve. Let your cornbread rest for 10 to 30 minutes before cutting. Slice into wedges and serve.
This cornbread should be fluffy and slightly sweet. It is a filling addition to any meal. :Angry20:

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LongTermGuy (12-27-2016)

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## HawkTheSlayer

Sometimes when cast iron is not rinsed and wiped clean right before cooking it will give off a dark film or liquid. A while back I cooked some okra down and my okra (not to be confused with Oprah) turned black.

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Garden House Queen (12-27-2016),Montana (12-28-2016)

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## Trinnity

Cast iron can make it browner.

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Garden House Queen (12-27-2016),LongTermGuy (12-27-2016)

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## MrMike

I've actually shifted away from cast iron for mine.  I do a stuffed version and want a certain crispness on the shell so moved to using ceramics (my frying pan) so it drops out easier and I get a good steady firmness throughout.  I stuff it with corn, sausage (or shrimp/crab), peppers, etc. so needed more control.  I did a recipe for one of my friends and took photos of the process to go with the steps.

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Garden House Queen (12-27-2016)

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## MrMike

btw... the cheese is the challenge.  That's one of the real drivers for why I went ceramic.

I usually make it to accompany red-beans and rice but a slice of it is a meal in itself.

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## tiny1

> Cast iron can make it browner.


As will too much sugar.
I do not eat sweet cornbread, or what is referred to as Johnny Cake.  If I want "sweet", I'll bake a layer cake, and frost it.
Sugar caramelizes, and makes things brown, or even black.
If you use butter to grease the pan, and preheat the skillet, it will burn the butter, also making it brown.
All that taken into consideration, I prefer to brown my cornbread under the broiler just before serving.

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Montana (12-28-2016),MrMike (12-27-2016)

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## Quark

It looks okay to me from the pictures and I know corn bread.

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## MrMike

> As will too much sugar.
> I do not eat sweet cornbread, or what is referred to as Johnny Cake.  If I want "sweet", I'll bake a layer cake, and frost it.
> Sugar caramelizes, and makes things brown, or even black.
> If you use butter to grease the pan, and preheat the skillet, it will burn the butter, also making it brown.
> All that taken into consideration, I prefer to brown my cornbread under the broiler just before serving.


Same here and there's no sugar in any cornbread I make.  That's yankee shit!

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## HawkTheSlayer

> I've actually shifted away from cast iron for mine.  I do a stuffed version and want a certain crispness on the shell so moved to using ceramics (my frying pan) so it drops out easier and I get a good steady firmness throughout.  I stuff it with corn, sausage (or shrimp/crab), peppers, etc. so needed more control.  I did a recipe for one of my friends and took photos of the process to go with the steps.


Hoo Boy! C'est Jolie. 
Tonad et zeclare! Mai's ca C'est Bon, ouah!

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MrMike (12-27-2016)

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## JMWinPR

Corn bread can't be made north of Mason Dixon..... Samuel Clemens

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Dana (12-27-2016),MrMike (12-27-2016)

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## HawkTheSlayer

> Same here and there's no sugar in any cornbread I make.  That's yankee shit!


I like sweet cornbread.  :Sofa:   :Tongue20:

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Garden House Queen (12-27-2016),Montana (12-28-2016),MrMike (12-27-2016)

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## HawkTheSlayer

> As will too much sugar.
> I do not eat sweet cornbread, or what is referred to as Johnny Cake.  If I want "sweet", I'll bake a layer cake, and frost it.
> Sugar caramelizes, and makes things brown, or even black.
> If you use butter to grease the pan, and preheat the skillet, it will burn the butter, also making it brown.
> All that taken into consideration, I prefer to brown my cornbread under the broiler just before serving.


In these parts, plain fried dough is called johnnycake. Usually served with powdered sugar. It's just a beignet if you ask me. Biscuit dough is quick and works well. Just flatten the dough and pull it out, then drop in hot oil.

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Montana (12-28-2016)

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## sooda

> In these parts, plain fried dough is called johnnycake. Usually served with powdered sugar. It's just a beignet if you ask me. Biscuit dough is quick and works well. Just flatten the dough and pull it out, then drop in hot oil.


We made them with cornmeal... like a pancake.. Good with syrup.

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## Rickity Plumber

> Sometimes when cast iron is not rinsed and wiped clean right before cooking it will give off a dark film or liquid. A while back I cooked some okra down and my okra (not to be confused with Oprah) turned black.


 . . . or my black (again, not to be confused with Oprah) skillet.

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Montana (12-28-2016)

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## Dana

What counts is did it taste good???

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Garden House Queen (12-27-2016)

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## Dave37

Iron pans can be over cleaned for one thing. It's been recommended not to clean iron pans with soap and hot water as it will sink into the pores, I guess it's called.  Best to wipe clean the pan and long rinse with cold water, especially if you have used soap. That's assuming the pan has been seasoned and of course do not use olive oil for seasoning.

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## Garden House Queen

O.K.....it's not the iron skillet. I just made a batch in an aluminum pan....the color is the same. I'm thinking the problem is the corn meal.

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## HawkTheSlayer

> O.K.....it's not the iron skillet. I just made a batch in an aluminum pan....the color is the same. I'm thinking the problem is the corn meal.


Prolly so. Sometimes my aunt gives me some of the "commodity" items she can't use fast enough. That particular cornmeal is a little darker. The beans are always old and take forever to cook if you don't soak them overnight. 
Boy, I sure do miss commodity cheese. It was the best.

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Garden House Queen (12-27-2016)

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## MrogersNhood

#1 guess: Temp too high.
Was it Yellow in the middle?

I only know skittle/oven method.

Anybody can do Jiffy.

It takes skill to grease a skillet and mix corn meal and buttermilk and all that

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## tiny1

> In these parts, plain fried dough is called johnnycake. Usually served with powdered sugar. It's just a beignet if you ask me. Biscuit dough is quick and works well. Just flatten the dough and pull it out, then drop in hot oil.


Where I come from, that is a Hoe Cake.  

johnnycake n_:  a cake or bread made of cornmeal and water or milk, usually cooked on a griddle.

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## Dave37

I don't know about johhnycake but my grandmother's pan bread was the best. I can't remember if it was cooked on the stove or in the oven, I remember it being in a small frying pan though.

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