Cracklin’ Bread
Learn how to make Southern cracklin' bread with pork cracklings, baked in a cast iron skillet for a crispy crust and savory flavor.
Servings 8 people
Calories 267kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon bacon grease
- 1 cup self-rising white cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 cup tender pork cracklings, broken into smaller pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the bacon grease in a 10-inch cast iron skillet. If you don't have bacon grease, lightly coat the skillet with cooking spray instead. Place the skillet in the oven while it preheats. Once the grease has melted, carefully swirl it around to coat the bottom and sides of the skillet.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, and baking powder. Whisk until evenly combined.
- Add the eggs and milk. Whisk until the batter is smooth and free of lumps.
- Add the pork cracklings to the batter and stir until the cracklings are evenly mixed throughout the batter.
- Pour the batter into the hot, greased skillet.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Notes
- Tender pork cracklings work best for this recipe. Avoid hard cracklings, which stay very crunchy and can be difficult to chew after baking.
- If your cracklings are in large pieces, crush them into bite-sized pieces before stirring them into the batter so they're evenly distributed.
- Heating the cast iron skillet before adding the batter helps create a crispy, golden crust on the bottom and edges of the cornbread.
- No bacon grease? You can grease the skillet with butter, vegetable shortening, or cooking spray instead, though bacon grease adds extra flavor.
- Don't overmix the batter. Stir just until the ingredients are combined to keep the cornbread tender.
- If your pork cracklings are heavily seasoned or salted, taste one before adding any additional salt to the batter. The recipe typically doesn't need extra salt.
- Cracklin' cornbread is best served warm, but leftovers reheat well in the oven or microwave.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 3ounces | Calories: 267kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 592mg | Potassium: 182mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 164IU | Calcium: 189mg | Iron: 2mg
