Mexican Cornbread

Mexican cornbread is the Texas-style layered casserole-bread that shows up at every church potluck and Southern dinner table. Properly speaking it’s less a bread and more a one-pan meal, with cornbread batter acting as both top and bottom crust for a filling of ground meat, onion, cheese, and jalapeños.

The batter is deliberately simple. One cup cornmeal stirs together with three eggs, baking soda, a cup of sweet milk, salt, and three tablespoons of bacon drippings. That last ingredient is the Texas move: bacon grease carries the smoky, salty flavor that makes this cornbread taste authentic. No flour here, just pure cornmeal, which gives the bread its gritty, classic texture and deep golden color.

The layering is the signature technique. Half the batter goes into a greased 9 by 13 pan first. On top goes a full pound of browned and drained ground meat, chopped onions, three finely chopped fresh jalapeños, and a half pound of grated American cheese. Cover with the remaining batter so it sandwiches the filling. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 45 minutes until set and golden on top.

Kitchen Tips

• Save the bacon drippings from weekend breakfast in a jar in the fridge. Substitute shortening or melted butter if you don’t have any, but the bacon flavor is the traditional point.
• Drain the ground meat thoroughly after browning. Excess fat bleeds into the batter and makes the cornbread greasy.
• Seed the jalapeños if heat-sensitive diners are at the table. Leaving seeds in makes this noticeably spicier.
• Let the cornbread rest 10 minutes before cutting. The layers set as it cools and slices cleaner.

Variations

• Sharper cheese: Swap American cheese for shredded sharp cheddar or pepper jack for more flavor punch.
• With corn: Fold a cup of fresh or frozen corn kernels into the batter for sweet kernel pop throughout.
• Chorizo: Replace the ground meat with crumbled Mexican chorizo for smokier, spicier flavor.