Beth’s Southern Corn Bread

Adjust your oven racks to the lower-middle and middle positions and heat oven to 450 degrees. Heat a 10-inch ovensafe skillet on the middle rack for 10 minutes. Bake loose cornmeal on a baking sheet set on the lower-middle rack until fragrant and color begins to deepen, about 5 minutes. Transfer hot cornmeal to a large bowl and whisk in buttermilk; set aside.

Add oil to the hot skillet and continue to bake until oil is just smoking, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from oven and add butter, carefully swirling pan until butter is melted. Pour all but 1 tablespoon oil mixture into the cornmeal mixture, leaving the remaining oil/butter in pan. Whisk baking powder, baking soda, salt, and eggs into the cornmeal mixture.

Pour cornmeal mixture into the hot skillet and bake until the top begins to crack and sides are golden brown, 12 to 16 minutes. Let cool in the pan 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Serve.