Corn Pone, a Pioneer Staple

What is corn pone?

Corn Pone is a form of cornbread normally made without milk or eggs. It can be baked or fried.

Where corn pone came from is contested in the history books. It is well documented that it was used by both armies during the Civil War. So both the North and the South at least agreed on one thing!

It’s also something that was cooked and eaten by pioneers.

Most of the modern recipes we see for corn pone use milk and eggs. This is really just corn bread. Older recipes for corn pone leave out the milk and eggs making an ideal prepper food!

Here is an old corn pone recipe.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups ground white or yellow cornmeal

• 1 Tablespoon salt

• 2-3 cups of very hot water (not boiling)

• 1/2 cup of bacon grease (or other fat)

• In a large bowl, add the hot water to the cornmeal and mix it into a thick batter.

• Cover the bowl with a dishcloth and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes.

• The batter should still be soft enough to mold into a small cake about the size of the palm of your hand. If not, add a bit more water.

• Take your cake and shove three fingers into the middle. If the batter holds the fingerprints, the batter is just right. If it does not, adjust the water or cornmeal as necessary.

• Warm your cast-iron skillet over medium heat on the stove or fire.

• Add the bacon grease or oil.

• When the oil is hot, lay the cakes into the pan.

• Cook them until they are browned on one side. This should take about 3 minutes.

• Turn each and brown on the other side.

• Drain the fat and serve.

Corn pone can be fried as above or baked in a Dutch oven. If you have ham, bacon, or chili peppers, they can be added as an option.

I love it with chopped-up jalapeno peppers mixed in the batter!

As one old boy said, “this was a get-by recipe when you had nothing else. If you were lucky enough to have butter or jam, it tasted plenty good.” In the days of the Great Depression, sometimes this would be a meal in itself.

Howard

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