OT question: avoiding shortening for cornbread?

I've noticed the more authentic (ie, not in a "cooking healthy/ light/
lowfat/ etc" book) cornbread recipes always call for shortening to
coat the pan.

Would it be a disaster to use spray Pam or something instead?

I just don't have much use for shortening, so I don't see the point of
buying any (okay, and I just got back from the store when I had this
idea about cornbread).

Is shortening what gives it the crunchy edges?

Should I just suck it up and go to the store? This particular recipe
calls for half a stick of butter, so I don't suppose using spray
instead of shortening will exactly make this "healthy."

--
monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully

pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca

Monique Y. Mudama wrote:

I've noticed the more authentic (ie, not in a "cooking healthy/ light/
lowfat/ etc" book) cornbread recipes always call for shortening to
coat the pan.

Would it be a disaster to use spray Pam or something instead?

Not if you're baking it! (Actually, i thing the REAL
"original" cornbread - also called "hush puppies" -
contained no shortening at all, but was was deep fried, like
doughnuts.)

Monique Y. Mudama wrote:
I've noticed the more authentic (ie, not in a "cooking healthy/ light/
lowfat/ etc" book) cornbread recipes always call for shortening to
coat the pan.

Would it be a disaster to use spray Pam or something instead?

I just don't have much use for shortening, so I don't see the point of
buying any (okay, and I just got back from the store when I had this
idea about cornbread).

Is shortening what gives it the crunchy edges?

Should I just suck it up and go to the store? This particular recipe
calls for half a stick of butter, so I don't suppose using spray
instead of shortening will exactly make this "healthy."

--
monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully

I always use Pam. I cook my cornbread in a well-seasoned iron skillet
though. Pam would work well on nonstick pans too I'm sure.
Normally (or at least around here)....the pan is coated well with
shortening, and then heated very hot in the oven before you pour your
batter in. That could very well contribute to crispy edges.
The butter just keeps the cornbread from being crumbly. I never put
butter in it either, and it turns out fine; just not as moist as with
butter.

Sherry

Monique Y. Mudama wrote:
I've noticed the more authentic (ie, not in a "cooking healthy/ light/
lowfat/ etc" book) cornbread recipes always call for shortening to
coat the pan.

Would it be a disaster to use spray Pam or something instead?


Not a ridiculuous question and the only reason I use shortening and is
because I bake my cornbread in an 8" cast iron skillet and shortening keeps
it seasoned. Sure, use PAM if you want. It won't hurt

Jill

"jmcquown" wrote in message
...
Monique Y. Mudama wrote:
I've noticed the more authentic (ie, not in a "cooking healthy/ light/
lowfat/ etc" book) cornbread recipes always call for shortening to
coat the pan.

Would it be a disaster to use spray Pam or something instead?


Not a ridiculuous question and the only reason I use shortening and is
because I bake my cornbread in an 8" cast iron skillet and shortening
keeps
it seasoned. Sure, use PAM if you want. It won't hurt

Jill




Take it from a Hillbilly who loves his black skillet cornbread Pam
won't hurt a thing

Just coat the skillet real good and get the skillet nice and hot before
you pour in your batter than back in the oven real quick

The do make healthy light shortening just got to look for it but nothing
like a good batch of fat lard to cook in and make the corn bread nice and
crunchy

Sorry the Kentucky country boy in me was a talkin'

Damn I made my self hungry off to the kitchen to make some

On 2006-08-19, EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque) penned:


Monique Y. Mudama wrote:

I've noticed the more authentic (ie, not in a "cooking healthy/
light/ lowfat/ etc" book) cornbread recipes always call for
shortening to coat the pan.

Would it be a disaster to use spray Pam or something instead?

Not if you're baking it! (Actually, i thing the REAL "original"
cornbread - also called "hush puppies" - contained no shortening at
all, but was was deep fried, like doughnuts.)

I wasn't sure, so I bought some shortening. It claims to be about
half the fat of butter, so maybe shortening isn't as bad as I thought.

--
monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully

pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca

EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque) wrote:
Monique Y. Mudama wrote:

I've noticed the more authentic (ie, not in a "cooking healthy/ light/
lowfat/ etc" book) cornbread recipes always call for shortening to
coat the pan.

Would it be a disaster to use spray Pam or something instead?

Not if you're baking it! (Actually, i thing the REAL
"original" cornbread - also called "hush puppies" -
contained no shortening at all, but was was deep fried, like
doughnuts.)

Ooo. I love hush puppies. That's one of the things I miss on the
heart-healthy diet. Around here, though, hush puppies are different
than cornbread, more highly seasoned and have onion in the batter and
kind of bite-sized. Best when served with fried catfish. :-)

Fried cornbread is just, well, fried cornbread. Just a thicker batter,
and you fry it in hot oil. Like you're cooking a pancake, but more oil.

Sherry

wrote:
EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque) wrote:
Monique Y. Mudama wrote:

I've noticed the more authentic (ie, not in a "cooking healthy/
light/ lowfat/ etc" book) cornbread recipes always call for
shortening to coat the pan.

Would it be a disaster to use spray Pam or something instead?

Not if you're baking it! (Actually, i thing the REAL
"original" cornbread - also called "hush puppies" -
contained no shortening at all, but was was deep fried, like
doughnuts.)

Ooo. I love hush puppies. That's one of the things I miss on the
heart-healthy diet. Around here, though, hush puppies are different
than cornbread, more highly seasoned and have onion in the batter and
kind of bite-sized. Best when served with fried catfish. :-)

Fried cornbread is just, well, fried cornbread. Just a thicker
batter, and you fry it in hot oil. Like you're cooking a pancake, but
more oil.

Sherry

Fried cornbread is like cornmeal pancakes. Nothing wrong with them, mind
you Hush puppies definitely have minced onion. Never heard of hush
puppies cooked in butter. Shortening and/or lard, yep.

Jill

jmcquown wrote:
wrote:
EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque) wrote:
Monique Y. Mudama wrote:

I've noticed the more authentic (ie, not in a "cooking healthy/
light/ lowfat/ etc" book) cornbread recipes always call for
shortening to coat the pan.

Would it be a disaster to use spray Pam or something instead?

Not if you're baking it! (Actually, i thing the REAL
"original" cornbread - also called "hush puppies" -
contained no shortening at all, but was was deep fried, like
doughnuts.)

Ooo. I love hush puppies. That's one of the things I miss on the
heart-healthy diet. Around here, though, hush puppies are different
than cornbread, more highly seasoned and have onion in the batter and
kind of bite-sized. Best when served with fried catfish. :-)

Fried cornbread is just, well, fried cornbread. Just a thicker
batter, and you fry it in hot oil. Like you're cooking a pancake, but
more oil.

Sherry

Fried cornbread is like cornmeal pancakes. Nothing wrong with them, mind
you Hush puppies definitely have minced onion. Never heard of hush
puppies cooked in butter. Shortening and/or lard, yep.

Jill

I've never heard of them fried in butter either. I don't see how anyone
could--can't see how you could get the butter hot enough to deep fry
and keep them from all falling apart.

Sherry

"Monique Y. Mudama" wrote

I wasn't sure, so I bought some shortening. It claims to be about
half the fat of butter, so maybe shortening isn't as bad as I thought.

Actually, it's worse than you thought. Trans-fatty acids wreak havoc on the
liver.