I Can't Stop Eating Tina Turner's Cornbread—It's My New Favorite

The keys to Tina Turner’s cornbread, from her backup singer Robbie Montgomery’s recipe, are crisp bacon and fresh corn.

Tina Turner next to a photo of a skillet with cornbread in it and a pat of butter melting on top — Getty Images / Photo Composite by Wanda Abraham / Sara Haas

When I first heard about Tina Turner’s cornbread recipe, I have to admit I was a bit confused. To my knowledge, Turner was a singer, known for her legendary voice and stage presence, not her kitchen prowess. Regardless, I’m always open to trying celebrity recipes, so I decided to learn more and give it a try.

I’ve loved Tina Turner for as long as I can remember. A cassette of her music (dating myself here), was the first one I ever got, a gift from my Dad for my birthday. We loved “The Best” and belted the lyrics with Turner like we were her backup singers. Which is the segue I’m using to discuss Turner’s cornbread!

It seems as if Tina Turner’s cornbread is actually restaurateur Robbie Montgomery’s cornbread. As she writes in her book, Sweetie Pie’s Cookbook: Soulful Southern Recipes, From My Family to Yours, Montgomery was a backup singer with Turner in the 1960s. But she didn’t just sing; she also whipped up delicious batches of cornbread for Turner and the band.

This was a huge feat, considering she often made it in a motel room on an electric hot plate. Jim Crow laws and prejudice made dining at restaurants in the South nearly impossible in those days, so after concerts, Montgomery would head back to the motel and cook for the musicians. Made with fresh kernels of corn and crispy, salty bacon, her cornbread was a favorite.

A wedge of cornbread on a plate next to a skillet with the rest of the cornbread inside — Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

How To Make Tina Turner's Cornbread

The process starts by cooking a few slices of bacon in a cast-iron skillet. Once the bacon is crispy, you remove it from the skillet and let it drain on paper towels while you make the batter. But save the bacon fat! You’ll mix some of it into the batter.

To make the batter, you combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the center and add buttermilk, an egg, and a bit of reserved bacon fat. After stirring until just combined, add the crumbled bacon and one cup of fresh corn kernels. Pour the batter into the cast-iron skillet and, though Montgomery cooked it on a hot plate in her touring days, you can bake it at 400°F until the top is golden brown, about 25 minutes.

The result tastes like one of Turner’s amazing songs: big, bold, and fabulous! I’ve had skillet cornbread in the past, but this recipe tops them all. I love the bacon flavor in each bite and the sweet corn kernels that balance the bacon’s savoriness and salt. The crumb is moist, fluffy, and tender. I would absolutely make this cornbread again and wouldn’t change a single thing. It’s a delicious recipe that truly is “The Best.”

A cast iron skillet with cornbread inside — Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

Tips for Making Tina Turner's Cornbread

Use fresh corn. If you have access to fresh corn kernels, I highly recommend using them. Canned and frozen will work, but the chewy texture of fresh corn can’t be beat in this recipe.
Save some bacon. Mix it with softened butter and serve it with warm cornbread.
Store extras. Leftover cornbread should be stored in a resealable container and refrigerated. Use it within three days or freeze and enjoy it within three months.