Crackling Bread Recipe
Old-fashioned crackling bread made with crispy pork cracklings folded into a hot-water cornmeal batter and baked in a screaming hot cast iron skillet. This is the kind of bread that built the South — rich, savory, and deeply satisfying with every bite.
Equipment
- 10-inch cast iron skillet
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium saucepan
- Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
Crackling Bread
- 2 cup white cornmeal stone-ground preferred
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp baking soda
- 1.5 cup pork cracklings chopped into small pieces
- 1.5 cup boiling water
- 1 cup buttermilk whole preferred
- 1 large egg beaten
- 2 tbsp bacon grease or lard for the skillet
Instructions
Prepare the Batter
- Preheat your oven to 450°F. Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet with 2 tablespoons of bacon grease or lard in the oven while it preheats.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Stir the chopped pork cracklings into the dry cornmeal mixture until they are evenly distributed.
- Pour the boiling water over the cornmeal and crackling mixture and stir well. The batter will be thick. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes to allow the cornmeal to absorb the water.
- Stir in the buttermilk and beaten egg until the batter is smooth and well combined. The batter should be thick but pourable — somewhere between cake batter and cookie dough.
Bake the Bread
- Carefully remove the screaming hot skillet from the oven. The grease should be shimmering and just starting to smoke.
- Pour the batter into the hot skillet. It should sizzle immediately when it hits the grease. Use a spoon to spread the batter evenly.
- Bake at 450°F for 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the edges have pulled away slightly from the sides of the skillet.
- Let the bread cool in the skillet for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto a cutting board or plate. Cut into wedges and serve warm.
Nutrition
Calories: 285kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 11gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 420mgPotassium: 135mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 45IUCalcium: 72mgIron: 2mg
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