Cracklin' Cornbread

Cornbread is the hottest of hot topics in the South. To add sugar, blasphemy. To not, tasteless rubbish. So wading into the cornbread wars with another variety might seem risky, but we proudly present a reason for debate: cracklin' cornbread. (Yes, drop the G.)

Cracklin' cornbread is a quintessential Southern food, perhaps nostalgic to many. If you've not heard of it, we wouldn't be surprised. It often only crops up in kitchens a few times a year, and most folks don't want to do the work of rendering the pork to make the cracklings.

But if we can convince you to try this loaf (or revisit it, if it's been a while since you had it), we'll have done our work of preserving this iconic Southern recipe and sharing it with others for posterity. So grab your cast-iron skillet and cornmeal. You'll want to try this dish ASAP.

What Are Pork Cracklings?

Pork cracklings are the bits of pork that remain after pork fat trimmings are rendered. When the trimmings are heated, the fat will turn to liquid, and the leftover bits, the meaty little morsels, are the cracklings. Those cracklings are then fried until they're brown and crispy. You've never tasted anything quite as savory and delicious as pork cracklings.

Chicken cracklings can also be made with chicken skin, but for this recipe, we like the firmer pieces of pork cracklings.

Can You Buy Cracklings?

Yes, you absolutely can buy pork cracklings. Most grocery stores have them, and butchers certainly do. (Just ask if they're not displayed in a meat case.)

Be sure you're buying cracklings. Don't accidentally pick up pork rinds, pork skins, or chiccarones. These are not the same are pork cracklings.

Ingredients for Cracklin' Bread

This is a classic ingredient list for cornbread, but of course, we add some cracklins.

• Unsalted butter: Like all good cornbreads, this one starts with hot, melted butter in a cast-iron skillet.
• Self-rising flour: We'll make our own cornmeal mix with this flour and cornmeal.
• Yellow cornmeal: Our favorite cornbread recipe uses a self-rising cornmeal mix, but we need slightly different ratios for this recipe.
• Granulated sugar: We said what we said. Hear us out: There is a little bit of sugar (just a bit, we promise), and we prefer it so that it balances the savory, salty flavor of the buttermilk and pork. It also makes for a more tender cornbread, but we'll look away if you leave it out.
• Kosher salt: For seasoning.
• Whole buttermilk: Rich, thick, and tangy, it's the perfect liquid for bringing the cornbread together.
• Large eggs: This provides structure and richness.
• Pork cracklins: You can make your own, or look for them at the grocery store or butcher.

For the Whipped Jalapeño Butter

This butter is entirely optional, but we love the contrast of the sweet-hot butter with the meaty, savory cornbread. Serve it alongside a pot of soup or chili, and your family will slather their cornbread wedges high.

For the butter, you'll need unsalted butter, a jalapeño, hot honey, a bit of tap wter, and kosher salt.

How To Make Cracklin' Cornbread

This is a straightforward cornbread recipe in terms of how it's made. The addition of cracklins doesn't require any special work. The full recipe (plus step-by-step photos) is below. Here's a brief recap:

• Melt butter in skillet: Heat the cast-iron skillet and some of the butter until the pan is warm and the butter is melted. The hot skillet helps create the delicious crust.
• Make the cornbread batter: Combine dry ingredients. Melt the remaining butter, and add to the dry ingredients along with the buttermilk, eggs, and half of the cracklins.
• Add batter to skillet: Remove the hot skillet from the pan. Pour the batter into it, and sprinkle the top of the batter with the remaining cracklings.
• Bake: Bake until the cornbread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Make the butter: If serving, combine the butter, jalapeño, hot honey, water, and salt. Beat until the mixture is fluffy and light.

How To Store Cracklin' Cornbread

Any leftover cracklin' cornbread should be wrapped in storage wrap and kept in the fridge. It will last up to 5 days, and you can reheat individual slices in the toaster oven or microwave.

If you want to freeze cracklin' cornbread, wrap wedges first in storage wrap, the aluminum foil. Label and date it, and store up to 3 months. You can let the cornbread thaw on the counter for an hour or two until it's defrosted. Then warm in the toaster oven or microwave.

More Southern Cornbread Favorites

Southerners love cornbread in its many forms. If you want a loaf or have some you need to use up, try these recipes next:

• Skillet Cornbread
• Southern Cornbread Dressing
• Cornbread And Milk
• Cornbread Salad