Cornbread is the Southern starch; it’s been in the South as long as there have been cooks to make it. Some people I know still call it corn pone. I always cook it in a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet and add my secret ingredient: cracklin’s. These are fried pieces of pork skin, and they are incredibly delicious; they’re the by-product of rendering pig skin for fat, and because I cook a lot of whole hogs I have the makings for them around all the time. If you don’t, feel free to substitute some nice crispy bacon instead. You might also add some chopped red bell pepper for a change and some color.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 425˚F.
Step 2
In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, cornmeal, and salt together until thoroughly combined. Add the egg and the milk, and mix until the batter is relatively smooth. Add the pork cracklin’s. If the mixture seems too dry, add a tablespoon or two of water to moisten it.
Step 3
Pour the batter into an 8-inch cast-iron skillet or an 8-inch square baking pan. Bake until the top is golden brown and a tester inserted into the middle of the cornbread comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
Step 4
Remove the cornbread from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
