Cornbread, Jalapeno Maple Bacon Recipe
When the daytime temperature hits around 50 degrees and the evening plunges to 30 or lower, it is time to begin the annual maple syrup processing in our neck of the woods. We use it for many things and one of them is this cornbread.
I first had a jalapeno cornbread in Texas, made by my sister's cowboy husband's aunt Netha, and since we with have maple syrup and pigs here in Cass County, Michigan, I brought it all together in this recipe. The reviews say it all: IT'S OUTSTANDING!
I am using some gluten-free flour here, but make it with all-purpose all the time. The results will be the same: DELICIOUS! NOTE: an extra egg will require a few extra minutes to cook. Without opening the oven door, you can reduce the heat to 400 at the 23 minute mark, and add five minutes to the timer. Remember the toothpick-in-the-center-comes-out-clean-it's-done trick. The following recipe is for 8" skillets. I will also make this recipe in a 10" skillet - it comes out less high, but requires a shorter bake time.
TIP: Someone asked how I get such evenly diced bacon. Freeze it before you cut it. It is very easy (and clean) to work with frozen bacon: not greasy and can be cut in all sorts of ways. Bacon thaws very quickly.
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 C Good cornmeal (coarse is nice)
- 1/2 C All-Purpose flour (or Domata gluten-free flour)
- 1/8 lb hog jowl bacon, diced (your best smoked bacon)
- 1/4 C of the best, pure maple syrup you can acquire
- 2 jalapeno peppers, (split, with ribs and seeds removed) diced
- 1 T + 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1 C whole milk OR 1/2 each -whole milk & buttermilk (try it - or you can use whole milk)
- 1 lg egg
- 1/4 C oil (use the bacon fat first, then top up with canola)
Directions
- Turn your oven to 425 degrees with the rack in the middle, as you bring everything together
- In a medium bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and whisk and shake until well mixed
- In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, maple syrup, and eggs. Whisk vigorously to frothy
- In a 7 inch to 10 inch cast iron skillet, saute the minced bacon over medium heat to render as much fat as possible. When the bacon is well cooked, remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a little dish to cool
- Roll the bacon fat in the skillet around to well coat the sides of the pan, then pour the fat into a measuring cup and, if necessary, top to 1/4 C with canola - some fat left in the skillet is fine
- Put the cast iron skillet back on the now-turned-off burner
- Incorporate the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients - just enough to combine them. You now have a batter.
- Whisking, slowly add the 1/4 C of oil to the batter
- Turn the burner on medium-high under the oiled, empty skillet
- Add the cooked bacon and minced jalapenos to the batter and mix well with a whisk or spatula for 1 minute. The pan should be smoking about now
- Pour the batter into the hot skillet - hear it sizzle? Turn off the flame and pick up a pot holder
- Move the hot, batter-filled skillet into the oven quickly and close the door
- Set the timer for 25 minutes. When the timer goes off, your cornbread should be done, with a beautiful golden top, and a toothpick or skewer stuck down to the bottom in the middle of the cornbread should come out clean. If not, pop the skillet back in the oven for 5 minutes. Opening the oven door has dropped the heat, so 5 minutes will not burn your bread, but will dry it a bit more. Now. It is done!
- Set the pan on a cooling rack for about 5 minutes. If you have properly seasoned your skillet, you need only place your hand close to the cornbread and turn the pan upside down. Give it a little shake and the round should drop onto your hand. You can then put the plate on it and flip it right side up.
- Otherwise, put a plate over the skillet and, holding the skillet and plate firmly, flip them to dislodge the cornbread onto the plate. If the bread doesn't drop, hold the inverted skillet just above the plate and tap the botton of the skillet with the butt of a knife. The cornbread will be upside down, so repeat with a second (serving) plate to get it right side up.
- Or you can serve in out of the skillet, cutting it into about 8 wedges. Try this with my Texas Chuck Wagon Chili...
Adding to Planner
Nutrition Facts
| Amount Per Serving | %DV |
|---|---|
| Serving Size 85g | |
| Recipe makes 8 servings | |
| Calories 227 | |
| Calories from Fat 80 | 35% |
| Total Fat 9.05g | 11% |
| Saturated Fat 1.34g | 5% |
| Trans Fat 0.18g | |
| Cholesterol 29mg | 10% |
| Sodium 483mg | 20% |
| Potassium 112mg | 3% |
| Total Carbs 31.17g | 8% |
| Dietary Fiber 1.5g | 5% |
| Sugars 2.28g | 2% |
| Protein 4.77g | 8% |
Languages
Menus and Pairings
Reviews
February 15, 2011
This sounds really good. I am going to try this the next time I make cornbread.1 reply
March 3, 2011
this is a GREAT variation to the same old cornbread my family LOVED it with my “Country Girl Hearty Chili” highly recommended to add some spice to your meal1 replyI've cooked/tasted this recipe!
March 11, 2011
This is without a doubt the BEST cornbread I have ever made OR eaten!!!! I swear to you, it is that good! I would not change a thing about this recipe, but whip it up exactly as Amos has written it. I did not have pure maple syrup so made a special trip to local natural foods store to buy some just to make this cornbread. It was so good I plan to make this for my children and grandchildren just to watch them fight over the crusty corners! What a shame a pan only has 4 of those "oh, so good corners"!! It will be a treat for me to see who wins out ... as for me, the yummy center is food for the gods.1 replyI've cooked/tasted this recipe!
March 17, 2011
Uh oh...I'm feeling the pounds creeping up to "there", just from reading this recipe! If I could only burn calories by drooling...2 replies
I am having company for a late lunch this coming weekend, and I was planning on making my Bean and Bacon Chowder. This will go beautifully! Thanks for posting!
April 15, 2011
GLUTEN FREE: I make this bread with 100% success using GF flour in place of all-purpose and the results are indistinguishable in taste and appearance. I use Domata Living Flour in this recipe and it will look exactly like the photos.I've cooked/tasted this recipe!This is a variation
June 5, 2011
Amos, this recipe is just crazy, crazy, crazy! Lovin' it! With your permission (and credit to you), I might add it to my farmers' market menu - probably towards the end of the summer; though we have some vendors with maple syrup, I may be adding this sooner than later!1 replyI've cooked/tasted this recipe!
June 16, 2011
This recipe looks great! My family are cornbread lovers, and this is a variation I've never seen or thought of before. Will definately give it a try this weekend. I have very good Michigan maple syrup, both the traditional A grade, and B. The B grade is less sweet and has a more intense maple flavor, I wanted to know if Amos thought I should go with the A grade, as the sweetness is needed, or if he thought going with the B, with the more mapley flavor would be a good idea? Thanks!1 reply
October 5, 2012
This morning I made this it is nothing short of amazing, what an interesting compliment of flavors,
I like to toast the cornmeal this brings the taste and aroma more "out front" I also used 2 chard Thai chilies, prosciutto and some wonderful Vermont maple syrup.
Clear rendered bacon fat is a valuable commodity in my kitchen, for cooking, flavoring and most of all to preserve and season my iron, it leaves a wonderful durable non stick surface, not the sticky, tacky result left by vegetable oils. Don't waste the "bacon shmaltz" a most useful byproduct.
Thank You Chef Amos!I've cooked/tasted this recipe!This is a variation
Comments
March 15, 2012I cant wait to try this. What a wonderful and comforting recipe. Thanks for sharing with us.1 reply- January 14, 2012Tamara - no higher praise! Thank you so much and I hope to try some of your recipes, as well.
- June 16, 2011Mares - You are so fortunate to have both A & B grades of Michigan syrup and I love the fact you know the qualities of both! I am a kitchen pragmatist: I want you to try 2 TBS of A and 2 TBS of B and then let me know how you like it. I don't know what type of bacon you're using (hickory or apple smoked, slab, thick or conventional sliced), but don't cook it too crisp, medium-well is perfect. And you'll find the jalapeno (you can use green, red or, to be really festive, one of each) will lose just enough of it's heat to remain interesting without being "hot". I am so looking forward to your review.
June 10, 2011Hi Amos!
Please accept my apologies for not getting back to you sooner. I have been working so much on my website, and other projects, I found it hard to get in here very often.
Thank you so much for your kind comments. I love this recipe, and it is definite must-make!
Hope this note finds you well :)
Elaine- May 2, 2011It is an exceptionally good recipe, Judee. I have made purely vegetarian versions of this recipe. I would suggest that you use a light olive oil for the shortening, and that you soak about 2 Tbs of a soy substitute for the bacon (like 'bacon-bits') in the oil very first thing.
May 2, 2011Looks like a really good gluten free cornbread recipe.
Of course, I will leave out the bacon to make it vegetarian- February 15, 2011I DO eat this cornbread for breakfast! I enjoy it with my coffee and a drizzle of our Michigan wildflower raw honey and sweet butter. I'll have just one more small slice...
February 15, 2011Never mind the chili (which looks great too, by the way), I could eat this cornbread for breakfast! Great flavors going on here.- February 14, 2011lovet he jalepeno's in this maple bacon Wow! awesome recipe, making Chili soon sounds like the perfect time to try this! thankyou
%20to%20work%20with%20frozen%20bacon:%20not%20greasy%20and%20can%20be%20cut%20in%20all%20sorts%20of%20ways.%20Bacon%20thaws%20very%20quickly.){kind=link}