Question about corn bread 'stick' pans

[turquoisedude]

No surprise that I would have a vintage corn bread 'stick' pan - the kind that leave a corn-on-the-cob pattern on the baked corn bread.

I've used it a couple of times, but the sticks always stick... What is the best method to grease them? What is the best grease to use (I've tried cooking oil and a blend of margarine and Crisco)?
Should one heat the pans then put the batter in (like a Yorkshire pudding or popover)?

I wanted to make corn bread sticks for a dinner party on Saturday night to kick off our 'staycation' in Ogden...

 

[launderess]

Are They Cast Iron?

If so you'll need to season them well before such pans will become "non-stick".

Seasoning can be done in one day but you'll need to keep the windows in your house open. A fan or exhaust hood helps as well.

Directions for seasoning cast iron are all over the Internet but basically you need to rub the clean pans with the fat of your choice, then place into a hot oven for several hours, then allow to cool.

 

[vintagekitchen]

Fat of your choice

Something solid like lard, crisco, beef drippings etc, will give more satisfactory results faster than oil, which can sometimes bake to sticky film instead of that glassy smooth surface you want.

As for greasing we always used a bit of butter or bacon drippings, and heated the pan scalding hot before pouring in the batter. Try that and even a poorly seasoned pan should release easily. (We did this when using an iron skillet as well. In my family corn stick pans were just for when doing something a bit fancy. Regular cornbread was from an iron skillet.)

My grandmother actually said baking cornbread was the best thing for a skillet that needed a "touch up" on the seasoning. If one of hers began to stick a bit, it became the cornbread skillet for a few weeks, (she made cornbread at least every other day, usually every day), and in a short time it was set back in order.

 

[petek]

I use PAM Baking spray in loaf pans with good results.. it has flour in with the oil. Better than regular PAM for that sort of thing. Don't see why it wouldn't work for cornbread

 

[rpms]

When I worked at Williams Sonoma, they had corn bread pans. I wish I had bought them.
If I was going to season pans, I would put them on the bbq instead of the oven.

 

[dustin92]

I seasoned two cast iron skillets and a griddle, just oiled them down heavily, then put them upside down on the gas grill, closed the lid, lit it, and cooked them on high for an hour or so. Keeps all the smoke and odors outside. Then turned off the gas and waited for things to cool down before moving them.

 

[norgeway]

The Big thing is!!!

Once you get it seasoned...NEVER WASH IT! just wipe with a paper towell when cool.I NEVER let water touch my cornbread pan.

 

[turquoisedude]

Aluminum not iron...

Eep - Should have mentioned this when I asked the question! I am going to guess that seasoning is going to be less important for cast-aluminum pans... If not, thank you all for the tips and techniques for seasoning cookware. Reminds me that I have a cast-iron pan or two still packed from the move in 2007 that haven't 'surfaced' yet... LOL

 

[maytagbear]

I agree

about cornstick pans needing to be seasoned if they are cast iron....and I have never seen one that was not cast iron. I would like one in heavy tinned or stainless steel.

I would now use edible flaxseed oil instead of Crisco. New Crisco (according to many culinary professionals, including Jean Anderson and James Villas,) is no longer suitable for seasoning cast iron, and edible flaxseed oil is.

Bacon dripping might work, (your mileage may vary) but not butter. Butter burns at too low of a temperature.

I would (just saying-) make the cornbread in a 9x9 pan or 13x9 pan, depending, or an already seasoned cast iron pan of some nature, and use the cornstick pan as the basis for a dried material centerpiece. Again, just what I would do.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[vintagekitchen]

Not Cat Iron..

I have seen but not used several vintage cornstick pans made of glass instead of cast iron. No idea how they would perform, but they were pretty.

 

[dustin92]

In the case of them being aluminum, I would just coat them rather heavily with non stick spray (pam, crisco, etc.) I prefer the butter flavored.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

I'm a degreed chef, and I just go with butter and a layer of flour over it....this is and always will be the best way for cornbread, sponge cakes, and pastry cakes, not for cookies as the uncovered side will let flour to burn. Usually cookies does not stick to the pan for me, they came out easily when cold, for butter cookies and so tarts dough cookies I carefully sprinkle the bottom of them with a layer of flour too before putting them in the pan.....for bread and for italian "focaccia" , for who does not know what it is: it's kinda bannock, well for them I go with oil, more for focaccia and just a little layer for bread....I also use oil to grease pans for puff pastry, or Gnocchi alla Romana...
For the flour and butter method:
Just rub cool butter from refrigerator into the pan and help to spread the excess butter everywhere with your fingers, then put a little flour and let it stick to all the greasy sides of the pan and throw the little or what's left away, add immediately the mixture or the dough.

No nasty spray etc for me.... I leave them for mosquitos insecticide and furniture cleaners! LOL

I only have aluminum or stainless pans and nothing sticks into even cornbread. To be sure you should use baking paper.... LOL
The method of flour and butter is the best one, it will create an "air chamber" from pan and dough this way the dough will never touch directly the hot surface and so stick to it....for cornbread, sponge cakes and such is the best way you can go with.......

 

[launderess]

Pam & Other Cooking Sprays

Have found they tend to leave a sticky residue that is hard to shift even after washing and afterwhile turns yellow. Maybe it is the silicone and or whatever else that is in there?

Have several bits of cast alumium pots and pans for baking and cooking. Yes, you don't have to "season" them like cast iron. However make sure you are using lots of oil or fat before pouring your corn bread/stick batter.

Regarding the batter how much fat/oil does your mixture contain? Have you used it before and did the product come out of the pan easily?

These days tend to do corn muffins and use paper linings in the tins. This way one can make up a large batch then freeze any extras. Hot minute or so in the microwave and one has a quick breakfast, snack (with butter and or jam/jelly), or side to have with a meal.

 

[vintagekitchen]

Flour and butter @__@

Not for true southern cornbread!! You gotta have a crust to it, that only batter hitting a sizzling hot pan will create. Also this helps make it fluffier. It's sort of the same principle as yorkshire pudding, yeah, you can just bake it in a greased and floured pan, but it wont rise the same or taste the same as it will if you pour the batter in a sizzling hot pan. Besides, you most definitely do not want that light floury coating on the outside of cornbread, no no no.

Trust me, if there are any other southern guys on here, they will back me up that a sizzling hot greased pan is the method used by grandmothers all over the south.

Now corn muffins of the type Launderess describes one can use paper liner and a muffin tin, but here in the south, most people use preheated cast iron even for them. The antique fluted cast iron muffin tins used for it are treasured family heirlooms here.

 

[westie2]

Put a spoon full of crisco or bacon grease in each spot and stick in the oven to heat when the crisco or grease has melted good and pan is hot hot have your corn bread mixed and ready to go take the pan our of the oven tilt the pan around the corn impressions and the dump the extra out into yu corn meal batter and stir it in and then put the batter in and back in the oven. Hot pan and the grease will do it for no sticking and good brown crispy crust.

 

[launderess]

Cast Iron

Next to copper has to be one of the things one just really won't purchase again for my kitchen.

Love the results but the upkeep is just too much bother. *LOL*

Suppose if the things were used often it might be easier but don't use either that often. Have two vintage cast iron pans (Wagnerware, chicken fryer and deep grill pans), but neither see much action. For health reasons don't eat much deep fried foods, and grilling is done on a dedicated older HB unit where much of the thing can go into the dishwasher.

 

[circlew]

Southern cornbread

Vintagekitchen is right, a sizzlin' hot pan, preferably cast iron, is the only correct way to make cornbread. And very little if any sugar in the batter.

My Aunt Julie (Mississippi) always makes hers in an iron skillet, and uses white cornmeal and about a teaspoon of sugar at the most. My mom originally made hers that way, but my dad (a Yankee) didn't like it, so she started using Jiffy Corn Bread Mix. Aunt Julie came to visit, and said my mom's cornbread was more like cake because it was so sweet.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

I Always made it that way and it actually comes out enough crispy and no flour coating so far....but I've undertstand what you mean and of course dropping in into the hot pan would result in a better taste, I bet it! I got what you mean! Never thought about it, actually I cook american not so often and cornbread is not so used to have at my home..... mostly what I make with cornbread are corned hotdogs to eat when I have dinner-movies with friends... Will give a try that way in September, now is just too hot to bake!
I think the method of Westie 2 would work good also, is almost what you do with omelettes and crepes.... just be sure that pan must be very hot though to avoid it to stick!

 

[vintagekitchen]

Cast Iron and Copper too much trouble

I second the motion! Lol.. I got rid of my copper when I realized there were more constructive uses of my time than polishing, and got rid of all but one iron skillet when I realized not using them often is the worst thing you can do to cast iron. The seasoning will slowly break down in the humid air of Kentucky if it is not fed by frequent use.

Some things reqire cast iron and just wouldnt be the same without it, but one skillet is plenty to fit my needs for those dishes.