Bacon Jalapeno Cornbread

By cmschnettler

Ingredients

• 2 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slivers
• 1 1/2 cupsbuttermilk or regular milk, or more as needed
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tablespoonsunsalted butter, melted, or 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup yellow or white cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose white flour
• 3 tablespoonsbrown sugar or honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoonsbaking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, or an additional 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 scant teaspoon table salt
• 2to 4 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 cup coarsely grated pepper Jack cheese (4 ounces)

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from barbecuebible.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Brown the bacon in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a mixing bowl, leaving the bacon fat in the skillet.

Add the buttermilk, egg, and butter to the mixing bowl with the bacon and whisk to mix. Whisk in the cornmeal, flour, brown sugar or honey, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and jalapeños. Stir in the pepper Jack cheese. You want a pourable batter: If the mixture looks dry, add 1/4 cup more buttermilk or milk. Spoon the corn bread batter into the skillet and place it in the oven.
Bake the corn bread until it is puffed and browned and starts to pull away from the side of the skillet, 25 to 30 minutes. Another test for doneness is to insert a bamboo skewer or toothpick in the center of the corn bread; when done, the toothpick should come out clean.

Let the corn bread cool in the skillet for about 5 minutes, then cut it into 8 wedges for serving.