TRADITIONAL MOUNTAIN CORNBREAD
Across much of the country, and certainly in rural regions of the South, cornbread has long been a staple. For the sportsman, it goes wonderfully well with venison chili or any type of game soup or stew. The keys to making really good cornbread are: (1) Cook it in a well-greased cast iron skillet, (2) Grease the skillet with streaked meat or bacon, and (3) Use stone-ground cornmeal. Most store-bought cornmeal has been ground at too high a temperature and this does something to the flavor. Also, stone-ground cornmeal, even if it is sifted, has more body or “crunch” to it.
2 cups cornmeal (white or yellow corn, although I think the best meal comes from a white field corn such as Hickory Cane)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 beaten egg
- 3 tablespoons grease saved from frying streaked meat or bacon
Prepare skillet in advance (using the streaked meat you cook to get grease). Mix the buttermilk, salt, baking soda and egg with cornmeal and stir thoroughly. Pour streaked meat grease into the batter and stir in well. Pour batter into pre-heated skillet and bake at 425 degrees for a half hour or until the top crust is golden brown. The bottom crust should be dark brown and the whole pone perfect for crumbling up in a bowl of pot likker, chili, or soup.
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In company with his late wife, Ann, Jim Casada wrote a number of cookbooks focusing on game or foods from the wild. One of those, The Complete Venison Cookbook, is available from him or the Sporting Classics Store. Jim’s next book, Fishing for Chickens: A Smokies Food Memoir, is due out from the University of Georgia Press in mid-2022. He is currently taking advance reservations for copies. To reserve a copy or learn more about his many other books, include his recent multi-award winning A Smoky Mountain Boyhood: Memories, Musings, and More, visit his website at www.jimcasadaoutdoors.com or e-mail him at jimcasada@comporium.net.
Hundreds of kitchen-tested recipes make this cookbook your answer to a table of hungry hunters or out-of-town guests! Even the choosiest of eaters will enjoy the savory variety of recipes from crockpot cookery to venison on the grill.
Deer hunters and popular culinary creators Jim and Ann Casada have personally tested these recipes in their own home, assuring you of quality, delicious venison dishes. From traditional favorites to more exotic recipes, you’ll enjoy every venison dish imaginable, including: Stir fry, French dip, Fajitas, Kabobs, Piccata, Sloppy Joes, Lasagna, Ribs, Meatballs, Jerky and hundreds more! Buy Now
