Heat the skillet
Put a 10" cast-iron skillet with 3 tablespoons of bacon grease or butter into a 450°F oven. Let it heat 10 minutes.
The batter
2 cups stone-ground yellow cornmeal, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 cups buttermilk, 2 eggs. Whisk lightly.
Bake
Pour batter into the screaming-hot skillet (it should sizzle). Bake 18–22 minutes until top is gold and edges pull from the pan.
Sugar?
If you want sugar in your cornbread, you grew up on yankee cornbread. No judgment, just be honest about what it is.