Cracklin' Bread
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Cracklin' Breads were often made in the slave quarters when the only rations left were pork skins. They would throw them into the fire until they crackled and then they just threw them in with a basic cornbread batter - no egg, wheat flour, milk, or sugar then - just before baking. Today's Cracklin' Bread is still a delight enjoyed by a lot of Southern people, black and white alike.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup chopped salt pork or bacon
2 cups cornmeal, white or yellow
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup waterPreheat oven to 450 degrees.
In a heavy skillet over medium heat, sauté the salt pork for about 10 minutes or until it's crisp and brown. Drain off and reserve the fat. You now have cracklin's.
Sift together the corn meal, salt and baking powder into a small mixing bowl. Pour in the water along with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the reserved fat. Stir in the cracklin's.
Mold the dough into a preheated and well-greased 1 quart pan or skillet. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden. If you prefer, you can shape the dough into little mounds and bake them on a well-greased baking sheet at 450 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden.