How did the pioneers make cornbread?

 

Pioneers made cornbread in a variety of ways, depending on the resources they had available. The simplest method was to mix cornmeal with water and salt, and then cook it over an open fire on a hoe or a bannock board. This type of cornbread was called a johnnycake or journey-cake.

If pioneers had more resources, they might add milk, eggs, and shortening to their cornbread batter. They might also bake their cornbread in a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven.

To make cornbread from scratch, pioneers would first need to grind their own cornmeal. This was done using a mortar and pestle, or a hand-cranked grist mill. Once the cornmeal was ground, it would be sifted to remove any bran or other impurities.

The next step was to mix the cornmeal with other ingredients, such as water, milk, eggs, shortening, salt, and baking powder. The batter would then be poured into a greased baking pan and baked until cooked through.

Pioneers often ate cornbread with their meals, or as a snack. It was a versatile food that could be eaten plain, or with other toppings such as butter, honey, or molasses.

Here is a simple recipe for pioneer cornbread:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup shortening, melted

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, and melted shortening.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Let the cornbread cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.