Bacon Beer Cornbread | How Sweet It Is

Bacon Beer Cornbread.

May 15, 2012

More bacon. More booze.

And it’s only Tuesday.

It’s gonna be a looooong week.

I’m sorry?

I’m totally not though.

Believe it or not I made this cornbread BEFORE the beans. I don’t know. I was just feeling cornbread. I wanted it with bacon, and figured hey… while I’m at it I’ll add some beer. Then spread some butter on it while it’s still hot. Then die because I don’t know what could be better.

But not, so I could then top it with bourbon beans.

That was really my life’s train of thought.

I tried things out a bit differently this time by baking my cornbread in a loaf pan. I loved it but if that’s not your thing, feel free to bake this in a baking dish for big, fat squares. However… if you do that, be aware that you can’t make other delicious things like, um… cornbread french toast? Or cornbread sandwiches? Or cornbread toast spread with peanut butter and topped with chocolate chips?

Yeeeeah.

Bacon Beer Cornbread

[adapted from my fluffy cornbread recipe]

makes 1 loaf

6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped

1 1/2 cups finely ground cornmeal

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1 cup of your favorite beer

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup sour cream

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a loaf pan (mine is 10x5x3) with non-stick spray. Heat a skillet oven medium heat and add chopped bacon. Stir and cook until crispy and fat is rendered, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Turn off heat but don’t discard bacon fat.

In a large bowl, mix together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together milk and eggs. Add milk and eggs to dry ingredients, mixing until combined, then add in sour cream and beer. Mix and add in butter and leftover bacon fat, mixing until batter is somewhat smooth but just combined. Fold in bacon. Pour batter in loaf pan, then place pan on a baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until top is golden. Let cool for 20-30 minutes, then remove from the pan and slice.