More bacon. More booze.
And it’s only Tuesday.
It’s going to be a long week, but I’m not complaining.
Believe it or not, I made this cornbread before I made the beans. I was craving cornbread, wanted bacon in it, and thought beer would be a fun addition. I spread butter on it while it was still hot and nearly melted into bliss. Later I topped slices with bourbon baked beans — because why not? That was basically my thought process.
This time I baked the cornbread in a loaf pan and loved the shape and texture it produced. If you prefer, you can bake it in a square or rectangular baking dish for large, thick squares. Note that loaf slices are especially handy for turning into cornbread French toast, sandwiches, or toasted slices spread with peanut butter and topped with chocolate chips — all excellent ways to enjoy leftovers.
Bacon Beer Cornbread
[adapted from my fluffy cornbread recipe]
Makes one loaf
Ingredients:
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups finely ground cornmeal
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup beer (your favorite)
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 10x5x3-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. In a skillet over medium heat, add the chopped bacon and cook until crispy and the fat has rendered. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels, but keep the bacon fat in the skillet and turn off the heat.
In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, whole wheat pastry flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together. Add the egg-milk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the sour cream and beer, then add the melted butter and a few tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat. Stir gently until the batter is mostly smooth; do not overmix. Fold in the cooked bacon pieces.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and set the pan on a baking sheet. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 20–30 minutes before removing and slicing.
Tomorrow I’ll try to be a little less indulgent. Maybe.