Cast Iron Cornbread with Bacon

By nnlester

Ingredients

• 1 package hickory smoked bacon
• 6 tablespoons rendered bacon fat
• 1 1/2 cups fine-ground corn meal
• 1/2 cup unbleached flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Details

Servings 1
Adapted from dartagnan.com

Preparation

Step 1

Cook bacon strips in a cold skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Reserve 6 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F, with rack in the center position.

Place 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat in a 9” cast iron skillet and preheat in the oven.

Sift the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, brown sugar and salt into a large bowl.

In a smaller bowl, whisk the eggs until well beaten. Whisk in the buttermilk, honey and remaining 4 tablespoons of fat. Finely chop reserved bacon and add to mixture.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk mixture. Stir together just until combined.

Pour the batter into the pre-heated cast iron pan and bake for 20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the cornbread springs lightly back to the touch. Serve warm.