Cornsticks
Submitted by jonquilla
Crispy cast-iron cornsticks with cracked fennel seeds and black pepper, baked in a sizzling hot mold for crunchy golden edges. Ready in 20 minutes, served piping hot with butter.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
5 minCOOK
15 minREADY
20 minThere’s a reason Southerners hold onto their cast-iron cornstick pans like family heirlooms. Nothing else gives you that shatteringly crispy crust with a tender, steamy interior.
This version keeps things simple but throws in a surprise: cracked fennel seeds and black peppercorns. The fennel adds a subtle anise warmth and the pepper gives each bite a gentle kick that makes these anything but plain.
The real trick is heating the shortening in the mold first, then stirring that hot fat into the batter before pouring it back in. That sizzle when batter hits the hot pan is where the crust is born.
Kitchen Tips
- Preheat the mold with the shortening until it’s smoking hot. That initial sizzle is non-negotiable for crispy cornsticks.
- Crack the fennel seeds and peppercorns with a mortar and pestle or the bottom of a heavy pan. You want coarse pieces, not powder.
- Fill each mold cavity about two-thirds full. The batter puffs up during baking.
- Serve immediately. Cornsticks are at their best in the first five minutes out of the oven.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Pour the shortening in a cast-iron cornstick mold or 10-inch skillet.
Place mold in the hot oven.
Place the self-rising cornmeal or mix in a bowl and whisk in the milk and egg.
Add the fennel and pepper and stir until thoroughly blended.
Stir the hot shortening from the mold into the batter, then pour the batter into mold.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until done. Serve piping hot with butter.
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