My grandmother's cornbread recipe got ruined by a store brand swap

Three years ago I made my grandmother's cornbread recipe for Thanksgiving and it came out perfect. Last month I tried again and it was dry, crumbly, nothing like hers. I checked every ingredient. Then I realized I bought a different brand of cornmeal. The store brand at Kroger just isn't the same as the stone ground one she always used. I drove 45 minutes to a specialty market and found the right kind. Made it again last week and it was spot on. Never skimp on the cornmeal, has anyone else had a recipe fail because of a brand switch?

3 comments

3 Comments

abby3083d ago

Did you try toasting the cornmeal a little before mixing it in? I only ask because sometimes even the right brand can vary from batch to batch, especially with stone ground stuff. In my experience, the moisture content can change based on when and where it was ground. I had a similar thing happen with a brand I swore by for years, then one bag was just off. A quick toast in a dry pan brought it back to life. Might save you a 45 minute drive next time if the regular store brand has an off week.

xenawhite3d ago

Totally agree with @abby308, toasting fixed my gummy batch last month too.

wendy_park763d ago

My buddy swears by that trick now, ever since a batch of cornbread turned out like concrete last Thanksgiving. He toasted the next bag and it came out perfect, so yeah, I think you're onto something.