Pig Week: Crackling Jalapeño Cornbread

Let me say a word about pre-packaged commercial products. It is rare that I see a product at a grocery store, or have a meal at a restaurant, that I don’t say, “I can make that better”. Of course, what I really mean most of the time, is not so much “make it better” as “make it different”. You see, most cooking is always about personal preference; What do I like to eat? It is why I hate recipes, for the most part. And it is why I encourage anyone reading this blog to take my recipes as suggestions, rather than gospel. More as a guide or source of inspiration.

 However, sometimes, when eating out, or using a pre-made product, I find something that is just right. In the case of dining out, I may furiously try to duplicate a recipe, and after several swings-and-misses, just give up and ask the chef how to make the dish. And if the chef refuses to share the secret, I give up again, and just say “To heck with it, I’ll just eat it at the restaurant”.

The same goes for commercial products bought at the grocery store, but even more so. It is hard for me to imagine that people actually eat some of the stuff sold there. Of course, I am kind of snobbish here, but really, chili in a can!?!? Nevertheless, there are some things, which, if I were making them myself, I would not make them any different. One of those products is Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix. I use it for all kinds of things: cornbread, corn cakes, fritters, hush puppies, etc. This stuff is versatile and good. If I were making it at home, I would use the exact same recipe – but I have never gotten the proportions just right. So I just buy it, and at less than a buck a box, I call it a win.

Now, I may add to the mix, based on what I am doing with it, and this cornbread is just such an example. The use of the jalapeño is kind of obvious, but the use of cream corn, and especially the pork cracklings , much less so – and that’s what makes this special.

Easy to make and very satisfying, I have been making this for years. I hope you like it.

Ingredients

• 2 boxes Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
• 2 large eggs beaten
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 8 ounce can cream style corn
• 1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 medium jalapeño peppers, finely minced
• 4 ounces hard pork cracklings, chopped

Prepare the dry ingredients first. In a large bowl, empty the boxes of Jiffy mix into the bowl. Add the finely minced jalapeño peppers, chopped green onion, and the chopped pork cracklings. It is very important that you use the ‘hard’ pork cracklings. The light,crispy ‘pork rind’ style will NOT work. Mix throughly.

In a small bowl, beat the 2 eggs, and add the milk, butter and cream-style corn. Mix well, then add to the bowl of dry ingredients and fold in, distributing the pork cracklings, jalapeño, and onion.

Spoon the batter into a buttered muffin pan (the recipe above makes about 20 muffins, so you will need 2 pans) or use a mini loaf pan. Bake about 15 minutes at 375 degrees, until the top is golden. This is a little longer (and a lower temperature) than the package interactions call for, but there is more liquid due to the cream style corn, so you will be OK. Let the color of the cornbread serve as your guide to doneness.

When done, remove from the oven, and allow the muffins to cool before removing them from the pan. The muffins can easily be reheated in the microwave, and will keep several days, refrigerated.