Cornmeal Johnnycakes

Johnnycakes were cornmeal flatbreads cooked on a hot griddle — simpler and faster than corn pone, thinner than regular cornbread. They were the original American fast food, cooked in minutes on a hot stone, griddle, or cast iron. In the mountain South, johnnycakes were a lunch-ready item — flat, portable, and excellent with any topping from sorghum to salt pork.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups fine stone-ground cornmeal (white cornmeal is more traditional in the South)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 cup boiling water
• ¼ cup whole milk or buttermilk (optional, for thinner cakes)
• Bacon grease for the griddle

Directions

Combine cornmeal, salt, and sugar in a bowl.

1. Pour boiling water over the cornmeal and stir immediately until all is absorbed. Let stand 5 minutes.
2. Add milk if using — the batter should be thick but pourable, like thick cream of wheat.
3. Heat a cast iron griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. Grease generously with bacon grease.
4. Drop batter by large spoonfuls onto the hot griddle. Spread slightly to form rounds about ¼ inch thick.
5. Cook 3–4 minutes until the edges look dry and set and the bottom is golden.

Flip carefully and cook 3 more minutes.

1. Serve with sorghum, apple butter, or alongside fried potatoes and eggs.

Notes

The original johnnycakes were made with boiling water only — no milk, no egg. The boiling water partially gelatinizes the starch, making the cakes hold together without a binder. White cornmeal produces a more delicate, less sweet johnnycake than yellow. Called ‘journey cakes’ by some, as they were durable enough for travel.