Cornbread with Butter, Honey, and Sea Salt

By: Chef Andy Husbands
The Smoke Shop Facebook

Love the cornbread at The Smoke Shop? Then you’re in luck: chef-owner Andy Husbands (also a cookbook author and BBQ champion) shares his secret recipe right here complete with the deets on that addictive honey sea salt butter. “It’s what we grew up with in New England: cakey, light, a bit sweet and craveable,” says Husbands. “But it’s best to not say how much butter you’ve used.” Whip up a batch of these for your next grilling get-together — it’ll soon become a go-to for summer BBQs for years to come.

Details

Yields: About 24 small pieces

Ingredients

for the honey sea salt butter
  • 1 cup salted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup wildflower honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon large flake sea salt, such as Maldon Sea Salt
for the cornbread
  • 2 cups granulated sugar, divided
  • 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 cups coarse yellow cornmeal
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • 1 tablespoons baking powder
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 1 batch Honey Sea Salt Butter, softened

Directions

for the honey sea salt butter
  1. Place the butter, honey and kosher salt in a small stainless steel bowl and mix well with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until fully incorporated.
  2. Fold in the sea salt.
for the cornbread
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (180C, or gas mark 4).
  2. Coat a 13 x 9-inch (33 x 23 cm) baking pan with cooking spray and dust with 1 cup (200 g) of granulated sugar.
  3. Sift together the flour, cornmeal, remaining 1 cup (200 g) of sugar, salt and baking powder.
  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the eggs, milks, oil and melted butter. Mix on low for 2 minutes until combined. Turn off the mixer and add the dry ingredients in three batches, whipping on low after each addition until combined.
  5. After all of the dry ingredients have been added, use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom of the bowl and combine any remaining ingredients into the batter. Whip the batter on medium for 5 minutes.
  6. Pour the batter into the center of the pan and let it spread naturally to the sides of the baking pan. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. It should be lightly golden brown on top.
  7. Place a cooling rack and cool 10 minutes before cutting into 24 pieces. Spread softened Honey Sea Salt Butter over the corn bread pieces and serve warm.

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