FROM THE FOUNDING TABLE TO YOUR KITCHEN
POTUSPLATETHE PRESIDENTIAL TABLEHISTORY IS SERVED.
Presidents/Lyndon B. Johnson

AT THE TABLE WITH LYNDON B. JOHNSON

Golden skillet cornbread

Bring a skillet. Invite the neighbours.

Baking35 minServes 8
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Golden skillet cornbread — a little vintage colour
A little vintage colour · Serving illustration

THE STORY ON YOUR PLATE

The ranch had its own kind of hospitality

More about Lyndon B. Johnson →

The thirty-sixth president came from the Texas Hill Country.

Historical reconstruction

Cornbread makes a practical companion to the ranch-inspired chili and chicken. This modern skillet bread is a reconstructed side for the menu, with a crisp crust and a tender centre.

The president & the table

Johnson’s food story is strongly tied to the Texas ranch. LBJ Library accounts describe substantial breakfasts and Southern dishes, while the Pedernales River chili tradition remains closely associated with his household. These were foods that could feed guests generously without a formal dining room.

Behind this story

LBJ Library food and recipe collections; Pedernales River chili tradition.

APRON ON. HISTORY CAN WAIT.

Make it at home.

Our home adaptation · Serves 8 · Not yet kitchen-tested

What you’ll need

Let’s make it

  1. Heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Put a greased 23 cm / 9 in ovenproof skillet inside while it heats.

  2. Mix cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter and optional honey separately.

  3. Combine the wet and dry mixtures. Carefully remove the hot skillet and pour in the batter.

  4. Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean. Rest for 5 minutes before cutting.

About this home version

An oven-ready buttermilk batter gives this home version a tender centre and a crisp skillet crust.

Metric and US measures are approximate equivalents. For baking, use weights when you can.

STAY FOR ANOTHER COURSE

More from this table.