itsjoannotjoann wrote:
> On Jan 15, 11:01 am, Nancy2 > wrote:
>> On Jan 14, 3:18 pm, itsjoannotjoann > wrote:
>>
>>> You got a lot of good answers here.
>>> The main thing is to have that skillet/pan to the point of almost
>>> smoking and the grease of choice, mine is bacon grease, goes into the
>>> pan and then both go into a HOT oven to preheat.
>>> After preheating, if using a skillet, swirl the grease of choice
>>> around the skillet and immediately pour your cornbread batter into the
>>> hot pan. Cornbread batter should immediately start to sizzle if your
>>> pan is hot, as it should be.
>>> Back into the oven it goes and when it begins to brown on the top,
>>> remove and plate. As someone else said, when it's done it will fall
>>> out of the pan.
>> I use my mom's cornstick (cast iron) pan all the time - spray it with
>> Pam or something when it's cold - fill the spaces - bake - no problems
>> with sticking. You certainly don't have to heat the pan
>> first....these should bake just the same as if you were baking a
>> single batch in a square pan, and you don't need to heat it first.
>>
>> We, a farm family, had cornbread frequently when I was growing up
>> (eastern Iowa, German descent mostly).
>>
>> N.
>
>>
> Suit yourself, but a heated pan starts that cornbread on it's way to
> baking with a nice crust on the bottom. If you like your results (?)
> of cornbread cooked in a cold pan, go for it. Try it with a sizzling
> skillet. You don't throw hamburgers, chops, or steaks on a cold
> grill, do you? Same principle.
>
> I've never had cornbread cooked in a square pan. Then you're talking
> about something that is not a caste iron skillet, you're using a
> brownie pan to cook cornbread in??
>
> Try heating that antique cornbread skillet in the oven next time and
> see the difference in the finished result.
There are square cast iron skillets out there. I've got one that is most
likely around 100 years old, belonged to some great uncle of mine. Works
just as well as a round one.

Remember Andy Griffin's shtick on Pi Rsquared? Cornbread are square, pie
are round. Most folks had a square cast iron skillet primarily used to
bake cornbread and/or cobblers, dependent upon depth of the skillet.