East Texas Mexican Cornbread

🧂 Ingredients

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 large onion

  chopped
• 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese

  shredded
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1 1/4 cups cornmeal
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

  (bleached flour toughens baked goods)
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 tsp. sea salt

  or kosher salt
• 2 large eggs
• 14.75 oz. can creamed corn
• 1 cup half-and-half

  or whole milk
• 1/4 cup bacon drippings

  (plus more to grease the skillet)
• 1 large jalapeno pepper

  diced finely

Instructions

• 1 Preheat oven to 350º.
• 2 Place a 12-inch cast iron skillet in the oven to get hot.
• 3 Brown ground beef in a skillet and drain any excess grease.
• 4 (You probably won’t have much if you use 93% to 96% lean ground beef.)
• 5 Use a hamburger chopper to break meat down into small pieces while frying.
• 6 Add onion when meat is about half-way done.
• 7 Remove from heat.
• 8 Add cheese, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin and salt to the ground beef
  mixture.
• 9 Set aside. 
• 10 In a large bowl, add cornmeal, flour, baking soda and salt.
• 11 Whisk to combine.
• 12 Add eggs, creamed corn, milk (or half-and-half), bacon grease and jalapenos.
• 13 Mix well to combine.
• 14 Using oven mitts, carefully remove skillet from hot oven and place on trivet,
  wire cooling rack or towel on top of counter.
• 15 Grease skillet carefully with bacon drippings or oil.
• 16 Pour half of the cornbread mixture into the bottom of the cast iron skillet.
• 17 Spread evenly.
• 18 Top with ground beef and cheese mixture, spreading this mixture evenly.
• 19 Top with remaining cornbread mixture and spread evenly again.
• 20 Bake at 350º for 45-50 minutes, or until well-browned and mixture is set.
• 21 Slice and serve immediately.

Nutrition Info