Bacon Jalapeño Cornbread
This Bacon Jalapeño Cornbread is moist, tender, and packed with smoky bacon and spicy jalapeños. Baked in a cast iron skillet, this easy gluten-free cornbread develops beautifully crisp edges while staying soft and moist in the center.
Servings: 16
Calories: 276kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 strips raw bacon
- 1½ cups finely chopped onion
- ½ cup jalapeño pepper, washed and dried, finely chopped (seeds removed for less heat)
- 2 cups corn kernels
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided
- 2¼ cups coarse cornmeal
- ¾ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 4 large eggs
- 3½ cups buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the bacon. Line a large plate with a paper towel. Set aside. Add the bacon to a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Cook until the bacon is brown and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the bacon - but not the bacon fat - from the skillet. Set the bacon aside on the paper towel-lined plate.
- Heat the oven to 425°F.
- Cook the onion, jalapeño, and corn. Mix with bacon and butter. Add the onion to the bacon fat in the skillet and cook over medium-low heat for about 4 minutes. Add the jalapeños and sauté until the mixture is aromatic and the onions are soft, about 2 more minutes. Crumble or finely chop the bacon and add it to this mixture, along with the corn. Now add the butter to the skillet, swirl it around the bottom and sides to melt it into the other ingredients. Season with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt and a few turns of black pepper. Turn off the heat and leave the skillet as it is to cool on the stove.
- Make the rest of the batter. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, 2 teaspoons of remaining kosher salt, sugar and cumin. In another large bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. Then add the buttermilk and lemon juice and whisk again until smooth. Then stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until smooth.Add the bacon mixture from the pan to the batter and mix until it's fully incorporated.
- Bake. Pour the batter into the skillet and then place it in the 425°F preheated oven. Bake until the edges and top are golden and it no longer jiggles, about 35 minutes. Let it rest for a few minutes, then cut and serve.
Notes
No cast iron? Bake it in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, and use any large skillet for the bacon and onion mixture.
Not gluten-free? Use regular all-purpose flour in the same amount. Or skip the flour and use all cornmeal, for a coarser texture.
Heat level: For more heat, keep some of the jalapeño seeds and membranes. For mild, remove them all.
Corn: Fresh, frozen (thawed), or canned all work. Just drain frozen or canned corn very well.
Buttermilk substitute: Mix 3⅓ cups milk with 6 tablespoons lemon juice or white vinegar and let it sit 5 minutes. Or mix 2¾ cups sour cream with ¾ cup milk.
Vegetarian version: Skip the bacon, and sauté the onion and jalapeño in olive oil.
Make ahead: Bake it up to a day ahead, and warm it in a 375°F oven for about 15 minutes before serving.
To freeze: Cool it completely, then wrap it airtight. Bring it to room temperature and reheat at 375°F for about 15 minutes.
Nutritional information is automatically calculated, so it should only be used as an estimate.
Nutrition
Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 715mg | Potassium: 247mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 392IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 1mg