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Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread

caliking
caliking Posts: 18,727
edited February 2018 in EggHead Forum
I recently decided to culturally appropriate cornbread (goaded on, unknowingly maybe, by @northGAcock in a recent tread of mine). I’ve had some decent cornbread, but nothing that knocked my socks off in recent memory. Made a few versions in the last couple of weeks, and this is my best so far. 

The add-ins:


Stone ground cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder, and salt went in too. Baked in CI, with lard from one of our piggies. 



Not too shabby. 



Preliminary research led me to conclude that sugar, sour cream, and/or flour are for Yankees and sissies. Buttermilk is where its at, and lard in the skillet makes for a great crust. 

 The goal is to turn out the perfect cornbread by Thanksgiving this year. And I’m not enough of a d!ck to not welcome suggestions for improvements from the good folks here. 

#1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
«1

Comments

  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 18,942
    I read all the words, but I did not comphrend the meaning.
    A bison’s level of aggressiveness, both physical and passive, is legendary. - NPS
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727
    I read all the words, but I did not comphrend the meaning.
    Sorry, posted prematurely somehow. It makes more sense now. 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 18,942
    caliking said:
    I read all the words, but I did not comphrend the meaning.
    Sorry, posted prematurely somehow. It makes more sense now. 
    Comphrension achievement unlocked!

    Love cornbread and that looks amazing!!
    A bison’s level of aggressiveness, both physical and passive, is legendary. - NPS
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727
    Future plans include a sourdough version. I have to reverse engineer the recipe to figure hydration etc. The red onions are definitely a keeper though. Beats previous versions with yellow onion. 


    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 18,942
    caliking said:
    Future plans include a sourdough version. I have to reverse engineer the recipe to figure hydration etc. The red onions are definitely a keeper though. Beats previous versions with yellow onion. 

    You might consider a little known technique for perfect cornbread every time:


    A bison’s level of aggressiveness, both physical and passive, is legendary. - NPS
  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 18,942
    Ok, on a serious note, I find the key to exceptional cornbread is bacon grease in the pan, plus a little in the batter in place of some oil/butter.
    A bison’s level of aggressiveness, both physical and passive, is legendary. - NPS
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727
    edited February 2018
    The recipe so far:

    Stone-ground corn meal             2 cups
    Buttermilk                                   2 cups
    Salt (table)                                   1 tsp
    Eggs                                            2
    Baking powder                            2 tsp
    Baking powder                            1 tsp
    Onion, red, diced                         1/2
    Jalapenos, diced                           2
    Butter, unsalted, melted              1/2 stick
    Shredded cheddar, sharp             1 cup
    Lard                                            2 TBSP

    - heat oven or BGE to 400°F
    - heat  10"  CI skillet on the stove. Get it hot.
    - Mix cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder, salt together
    - beat the eggs and add buttermilk and melted butter.
    - Mix wet and dry ingredients above
    - Fold in the onions and japs
    - Add the lard and swirl to coat the hot CI skillet. 
    - Bake for 30-35 mins, until the top browns, cracks, and a wood skewer or toothpick, poked in the center, comes out clean.
    - Pull it and let rest for 10 mins.
    - Invert  onto a plate if you like a crispy crust. 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727
    Stone-ground cornmeal is what you want, since you get different textures in the bag - some fine meal, some medium, and some coarse. I tried Bob's Red Mill Medium Grind Cornmeal, and it turned out a bit gritty. 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727
    caliking said:
    Future plans include a sourdough version. I have to reverse engineer the recipe to figure hydration etc. The red onions are definitely a keeper though. Beats previous versions with yellow onion. 

    You might consider a little known technique for perfect cornbread every time:


    That's shameful. On par with Liquid Smoke.

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727
    edited February 2018
    Ok, on a serious note, I find the key to exceptional cornbread is bacon grease in the pan, plus a little in the batter in place of some oil/butter.
    I have oodles of lard from our hogs, so that's what I use. But replacing the butter with lard is definitely something I can do. And it eliminates an ingredient. 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 16,984
    Cornbread is a delicacy. Your post is making me want to get the old CI out and make some up.
    We used cornbread for deep dish pizza. It was amazing. Had to eat it with a fork.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    Man that looks righteous. 
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    Jerk. Now I need to make cornbread...
    Or you can just send me some - with pinto beans also. Thanks in advance.
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,164
    edited February 2018
    Some drained canned corn is always a nice addition....though i really should try it with fresh corn. Damn....I should have had a V8.

    Love me some cornbread....happy I could contribute to a noble cause for a change. Usually my ideas end up leading to some kind of bad behavior. 

    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
  • tml1230
    tml1230 Posts: 237
    1. GEEEEZZ.... Thanks for nuthin!.......Thanks to your post and attached pictures, tomorrow I have to go to Publix grocery store (there are no piggly wiglies or BiLo's here in Florida)... To purchase the ingredients for your recipe. It does look  incredible.
    2. I will brave and endure hundreds of tourists visiting from Ohio to  New Jersey just to purchase some lard ,as my supply of bacon fat was recently depleted on another cook .
    3. The only satisfaction I may receive is that the visitors from Boston ...(STILL wearing patriot jerseys) will be a little less rambunctious than they were over the weekend.
    4. With a current temp of 76 degrees I will try to keep a positive outlook.

    Sarasota Fl. and  Lake Toxaway N.C. (and Novembers on the island of Kauai) (and April in France.... Don't hate on me for that)
    BGE  medium and minimax
    HOW  BOUT THEM GATORS !
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727
    @northGAcock - thats a good tip. I've had cornbread with corn in it, so will add that to the list to try. I imagine it will also help to keep it moist. 

    I can't really taste the jalapeno in it, so either I need to add more, or try Thai chilies for more zing. 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727
    tml1230 said:
    1. GEEEEZZ.... Thanks for nuthin!.......Thanks to your post and attached pictures, tomorrow I have to go to Publix grocery store (there are no piggly wiglies or BiLo's here in Florida)... To purchase the ingredients for your recipe. It does look  incredible.
    2. I will brave and endure hundreds of tourists visiting from Ohio to  New Jersey just to purchase some lard ,as my supply of bacon fat was recently depleted on another cook .
    3. The only satisfaction I may receive is that the visitors from Boston ...(STILL wearing patriot jerseys) will be a little less rambunctious than they were over the weekend.
    4. With a current temp of 76 degrees I will try to keep a positive outlook.

    That's the spirit! :) We will want pics as evidence...

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Recipe? Why?

    :rofl:

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • I actually use a can of creamed corn in my recipe. Works wonders .
  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    caliking said:
    @northGAcock - thats a good tip. I've had cornbread with corn in it, so will add that to the list to try. I imagine it will also help to keep it moist. 

    I can't really taste the jalapeno in it, so either I need to add more, or try Thai chilies for more zing. 
    Double the jalepeno and then you'll taste it.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,164
    edited February 2018
    bgebrent said:
    caliking said:
    @northGAcock - thats a good tip. I've had cornbread with corn in it, so will add that to the list to try. I imagine it will also help to keep it moist. 

    I can't really taste the jalapeno in it, so either I need to add more, or try Thai chilies for more zing. 
    Double the jalepeno and then you'll taste it.
    .....fire roasted Green Chile’s are good too.
    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 18,942
    A bison’s level of aggressiveness, both physical and passive, is legendary. - NPS
  • I like to use green onions ratger than yellow or red. 

    Little Rock, AR

  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727
    Now we’re talkin. Fire roasted chiles are definitely something I want to try. 

    @bgebrent I can try adding more, but I usually find jalapeños pretty mild for my taste. May just need something with more kick. 

    Creamed corn and green onions sound delicious too. 

    Kalen would sh!t himself. 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • 20stone
    20stone Posts: 1,961
    caliking said:
    caliking said:
    Future plans include a sourdough version. I have to reverse engineer the recipe to figure hydration etc. The red onions are definitely a keeper though. Beats previous versions with yellow onion. 

    You might consider a little known technique for perfect cornbread every time:


    That's shameful. On par with Liquid Smoke.
    True, but an excellent troll. 
    (now only 16 stone)

    Joule SV
    GE induction stove
    Gasser by the community pool (currently unavailable)
    Scale (which one of my friends refuses to use)
    Friends with BGEs and myriad other fired devices (currently unavail IRL)
    Occasional access to a KBQ and Webber Kettle
    Charcuterie and sourdough enthusiast
    Prosciuttos in an undisclosed location

    Austin, TX
  • 20stone
    20stone Posts: 1,961
    caliking said:
    Future plans include a sourdough version. I have to reverse engineer the recipe to figure hydration etc. The red onions are definitely a keeper though. Beats previous versions with yellow onion. 

    First, I appreciate the boldness of rolling into Chez Jonz with cornbread. As a member of a multi-generation Texan family (and the Old South before that), you are veering in my lane a bit.  That being said, I have cooked food from your family's neck of the wood, so maybe all's fair.

    Second, it was really good.  I know you are going to keep tweaking, but you're on the right path.....except

    Third, I can't abide the sourdough in cornbread (even if it works as a leavening substitute in waffles and pancakes).  You know I am a fan of wild bugs in all types of bread, but this is one of those "naan has to see fire" things.
    (now only 16 stone)

    Joule SV
    GE induction stove
    Gasser by the community pool (currently unavailable)
    Scale (which one of my friends refuses to use)
    Friends with BGEs and myriad other fired devices (currently unavail IRL)
    Occasional access to a KBQ and Webber Kettle
    Charcuterie and sourdough enthusiast
    Prosciuttos in an undisclosed location

    Austin, TX
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727
    20stone said:

    ...Third, I can't abide the sourdough in cornbread (even if it works as a leavening substitute in waffles and pancakes).  You know I am a fan of wild bugs in all types of bread, but this is one of those "naan has to see fire" things.
    Shots fired. Possibly going back to the Civil War. But point taken.

    I wonder what they used for leavening before baking powder came along? Or is that just a Yankee thang?

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • 20stone
    20stone Posts: 1,961
    caliking said:
    20stone said:

    ...Third, I can't abide the sourdough in cornbread (even if it works as a leavening substitute in waffles and pancakes).  You know I am a fan of wild bugs in all types of bread, but this is one of those "naan has to see fire" things.
    Shots fired. Possibly going back to the Civil War. But point taken.

    I wonder what they used for leavening before baking powder came along? Or is that just a Yankee thang?
    You might be shocked to learn that this sent me down a rabbit hole researching when baking powder came available (soda in 1846, powder in 1856).  It is worth noting that the lift from soda/powder comes from its reaction with a acid, which is why buttermilk is key. 

    I suspect yeast would do less well, not having gluten to stretch, but it would be an interesting experiment (though it wouldn't be cornbread)
    (now only 16 stone)

    Joule SV
    GE induction stove
    Gasser by the community pool (currently unavailable)
    Scale (which one of my friends refuses to use)
    Friends with BGEs and myriad other fired devices (currently unavail IRL)
    Occasional access to a KBQ and Webber Kettle
    Charcuterie and sourdough enthusiast
    Prosciuttos in an undisclosed location

    Austin, TX
  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    20stone said:
    caliking said:
    20stone said:

    ...Third, I can't abide the sourdough in cornbread (even if it works as a leavening substitute in waffles and pancakes).  You know I am a fan of wild bugs in all types of bread, but this is one of those "naan has to see fire" things.
    Shots fired. Possibly going back to the Civil War. But point taken.

    I wonder what they used for leavening before baking powder came along? Or is that just a Yankee thang?
    You might be shocked to learn that this sent me down a rabbit hole researching when baking powder came available (soda in 1846, powder in 1856).  It is worth noting that the lift from soda/powder comes from its reaction with a acid, which is why buttermilk is key. 

    I suspect yeast would do less well, not having gluten to stretch, but it would be an interesting experiment (though it wouldn't be cornbread)
    These sorts of rabbit holes are indeed interesting. I agree that yeast (wild or not) would not yield what we consider to be cornbread today. That said, is it true we didn't have cornbread before 1846? If we did, what leavening agent was used?
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    edited February 2018
    I found these links interesting. I think there is some speculation in them. My BS detector is going off a bit - but it may need calibrating.
    https://indianahumanities.org/cornbread-history
    http://indians.org/articles/corn-bread.html

    The first article states, "Interestingly, many cookbooks from the first half of the 19th century do not contain recipes for cornbread." 
    This supports the introduction of baking soda and baking powder around mid century.

    The second article states, "
    Because of some of the natural components in the corn, there is no need to use yeast to get the corn bread to rise."
    This is where by BS detector went off. What is this magical natural component that makes corn rise but not other grains?

    Perhaps earlier in history corn was consumed more like polenta or as an unleavened cake.

    Edit: Here's one more interesting article: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2015/11/southern-unsweetened-cornbread-recipe.html
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon