Pioneer Corn Bread - "Theophania Pioneer Recipe Series" ;)

Cornbread Ingredients:
3 three cups of Cornmeal or Mesa Flour
1 cup of All-Purpose White flour (keeps the Corn Bread from crumbling too much).
1/2 TBSP Baking Powder
2 eggs
Pinch of Salt
½ cup of brown sugar
1-2 cup(s) of chopped onion (whichever variety and quantity you like best!)
Water*, depending on the thickness/consistency you want – about a cup to 2 cups.
*use milk you if you don’t want to use water.

Mixing Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, adding the water or the milk last and gradually to get it to a consistency between a pancake mixture and bread dough consistency.  If you accidentally add too much liquid, it can be easily fixed by adding more All-Purpose flour. Place mixed ingredients in a greased large loaf pan, oven proof casserole dish (Pyrex), or a cast-iron dutch oven (pre-greased).


Pioneer-Frontier-Dutch-Oven-Cooking Method:
Start a fire with good dry wood in an appropriate setting, like a camp, pioneer log cabin kitchen, and etc (chopped thick log-wood the best, not twigs.).  Don’t try this method in your modern kitchen unless you have the appropriate fireplace outfitted for such a job!

Once there are enough hot coals, dig some out from the bottom portion or sides of the fire. Place them in a small circle in a cleared area next to the fire (but not in the fire) about the same diameter as the Dutch oven you will be using to cook the corn bread in.  Judge the heat  by placing your had above the coals by a couple of feet, if you hand gets too hot too quickly, then you might burn your cornbread, wait for the coals to get to a medium heat (about 325°F -350°F) the feel you get when you open your modern kitchen oven when  placing items in there when cooking. Take the cornbread and pour it into the already greased Dutch oven, cover the Dutch oven with its lid.  Then place the Dutch oven on top of the coals. Then with the appropriate campfire equipment, scoop some coals and place on top of the lid to create the oven effect.  Make sure you do not put too many coals on top or on the bottom or your cornbread might burn into charcoal itself.  With a special metal/wrought iron hook, occasional lift the lid balancing it to not spill the coal into the bread mixture or on the ground to check how the bread is cooking.  Cook over and under the coals until the bread is a golden brown color and not doughy in the middle. This takes about 30-45 minutes to cook.


Modern Kitchen Oven Method:
While mixing ingredients turn the oven on to 350°F (man, modern amenities are a lot easier than out on the Frontier!), place pan/dish uncovered and cook until the top of the cornbread is a golden brown color (about 30-45 minutes).

Enjoy!

Pioneer Corn Bread

10:41 AM, February 3, 2007 .. Posted by Anonymous

Thank you!!!!

I'm using this recipe for a Heritage School project.

LP (age 10), Lincoln NE