Cooking Enthusiasts: Smoky Bacon Jalapeño Cornbread

Video Description

VIDEO RECIPE: Smoky Bacon Jalapeño Cornbread This cornbread is smoky, spicy, slightly sweet and savory. It makes use of sweetened condensed milk, buttermilk, and banana which allow for better hydration and ingredients to be mixed cold, however, with softened butter, to cream ingredients easily. This results in a crispy, browned top crust as the cornbread bakes a bit slower at 350°F, but sets beautifully after 30-40 minutes of cooling, to slice easily. Important steps are preheating oven at start, using a 12” cast iron skillet as this recipe crested the top of my 10” skillet, and butter over flowed skillet walls slightly. Test center with a wooden skewer for doneness beginning at 45 minutes. (I have become used to testing by touch and do so carefully). Although very center 1-2” may be spongy, the rest of the cornbread should be set firm by the 60 minute bake time. Cool 30-40 minutes (60 is even better) before slicing and center should have set. Most importantly, add bacon cracklings to batter only when all is in place. Fold batter briefly, pour into skillet, shake to encourage air pockets out, finish with jalapeño rings on top, and carefully place on center rack, baking 45-60 minutes or until done. DRY INGREDIENTS •230g cornmeal •80g AP Flour •14g or 1 Tablespoon baking powder •7g or 1 teaspoon salt WET INGREDIENTS • 12oz canned, fresh or frozen corn, drained of excess moisture. • 14oz sweetened condensed milk • 78g buttermilk • 130g or 1 Banana sliced in 1/2 inch segments • 3 eggs, beaten • 120g finely diced jalapeño • 20g sliced jalapeño rings to top cornbread • 65g sugar • 40g reserved bacon grease • 40g butter • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract • 16oz bacon, cooked crisp, reserving grease 12” SKILLET INGREDIENTS • 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter • 2 tablespoons cornmeal DIRECTIONS • Preheat oven to 350°F • In a large bowl combine sweetened condensed milk, sugar, banana, 40g butter, vanilla extract, buttermilk and mix well by hand or with a hand mixer. • Next, mix eggs into batter but do not overmix until smooth at any step, lumps are fine. Add diced jalapeño and corn and gently fold with large silicone or rubber spatula, no need to be smooth, will be more like batter. Set aside. • In a 12 inch skillet warmed over low-medium heat, melt 1.5 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons corn meal to coat bottom of skillet and swirl to coat about 1/2 inch up sides of skillet to help cornbread release when complete. Then add remaining 1.5 tablespoons butter, and mix well. • Warm 40g bacon grease, then briefly mix in bacon cracklings. Working quickly, fold this mixture into batter and fold gently but briefly to combine well. • Quickly pour batter contents into skillet and using silicone or rubber spatula, smooth if needed, or shake or tamp skillet to release air pockets. Place jalapeño rings on top. • Remove skillet from stove-top, place on center rack in oven and bake at 350°F for 45-60 minutes or until done. Test with wooden skewer inserted in middle of cornbread. Done when skewer removes without cornbread batter residue or when cornbread has set firmly to within 1-2” from center. • Remove from oven, let cool 30-40 minutes in skillet (60 minutes is even better). Afterward run a knife along pan sidewall between cornbread and edge, to help release. • Then slice, serve and enjoy. AUDIO TRACK INFORMATION TITLE: Melt RECORDED BY:Tommy English