Ghost Pepper Skillet Cornbread with Bacon and Cheese
Jun 07, 2021
Ghost Pepper Skillet Cornbread with Bacon and Cheese
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Side
Cuisine
American
Author:
Rochelle Keet
Servings
8
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Calories
283
Cornbread might be a simple dish, but for most people it arouses a special memory. Every household has their own family recipe, and don’t even get us started on the debate between Northern and Southern cornbread. This recipe is somewhere in between. Like Southern cornbread, it’s made with eggs and buttermilk, but we also added some Northern inspiration with the addition of sugar. But don’t let this put you off…the sugar goes very well with the intense heat of the African Ghost Pepper Sauce—believe us, you will need that touch of sweet. Serve this cornbread with a side of baked beans, bean chili, a casserole, or even pulled pork—and dinner is served!
Ingredients
-
¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups yellow cornmeal
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup cheese
- 1 cob of corn, kernels removed
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/3 cup milk
- 4 oz lean bacon
-
2-3 tbsp African Ghost Pepper Sauce
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C.
- Cook the bacon in a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, but keep the bacon fat in the skillet, and keep the skillet warm.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, cheese, corn kernels and salt.
In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk (or yogurt), milk, cooked bacon, and African Ghost Pepper Sauce.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and gently fold to combine until no flour is visible anymore. Don’t over mix.
- Add the batter to the warm cast iron skillet with bacon fat. Bake at 425°F/220°C for 15 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Recipe Note
- This recipe taste best when you add fresh corn, but you can also omit it.
- Don’t over mix the batter. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to mix until just combined (no more dry ingredients visible).
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can use 1 cup of Greek yogurt (plain). Alternatively, you can make your own buttermilk. Simply add 1 tablespoon white vinegar (or lemon juice) to 1 cup of milk (at room temperature). Mix together and let sit for about 5 minutes.
- This recipe is not for the faint-hearted. If you’re not sure if you can stand the heat, start with 1 tablespoon African Ghost Pepper Sauce, and increase little by little.
- If you want to make this cornbread cheesier, feel free to add up to 1 cup of cheese. You can even sprinkle some cheese over the cornbread before placing it in the oven.
