Della Mae's Cornbread

1 cup buttermilk
1 cup stone ground yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1 tablespoon shortening

Preheat oven to 450°. Melt the shortening in one 9 inch round iron skillet in the heating oven. Stir the cornmeal, salt and baking soda together. Add the egg and buttermilk and mix well. Remove skillet from the oven and pour the batter into the skillet, stirring the melted shortening into the batter. Bake at 450° for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove when cornbread is brown.