Jalapeno-bacon Corn Bread

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 8 slices bacon
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 2 eggs
• 1 small yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 5 pickled jalapeno peppers, stemmed, drained, and chopped
• 1 tablespoon pickled jalapeno pepper juice
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups cornmeal
• 1 1/3 cups buttermilk

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 425°. fry bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, turning once, until crisp. transfer bacon to paper towels to let drain, pour rendered fat into a small bowl.
• 2 melt vegetable shortening and 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat together in the skillet while it is preheating.
• 3 crumble bacon and set aside. lightly beat eggs in a large bowl. add bacon, onions, jalapeños, jalapeño pickling juice, sugar, baking soda, salt, cumin, and pepper and beat well. add cornmeal and buttermilk and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. pour the hot fat from the skillet into the batter and stir until just combined.
• 4 pour the batter into the hot skillet or 9x9 square. bake the bread until lightly golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.