Cornbread Muffins with Bacon and Basil
Rendered bacon fat stands in for the butter, fresh corn goes in raw so it bursts rather than dries, and a third of a cup of basil survives the oven. Savory first, with just enough honey to brown the tops.
Ingredients
For the Muffins
- 6 ounces thick-cut bacon about 6 slices, diced small
- 1 cup medium-grind cornmeal stone ground if you have it
- 1 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda the honey is acidic enough to activate it
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt the bacon brings the rest
- 1 cup whole milk or buttermilk
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1/4 cup honey cut to 2 tablespoons for a plainer version
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted, to top up the bacon fat if you are short
The Add-Ins
- 1 cup fresh corn kernels from about 2 ears, or thawed and dried frozen corn
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil loosely packed
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour for tossing the add-ins
Equipment
- Muffin tin
- Large skillet
- Mixing bowls
Instructions
Render the Bacon
- Heat the oven to 400F and line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Dice the bacon small and cook it in a skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until it is brown and crisp, about 8 minutes.
- Lift the bacon out with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel and pour the fat into a measuring cup. You want 1/4 cup. Six ounces of thick-cut bacon usually gives about 3 tablespoons, so top it up with the melted butter and let it cool for a minute or two before it meets the eggs.
Mix the Batter
- Whisk the cornmeal, the 1 cup of flour, the baking powder, the baking soda and the salt together in a large bowl.
- Beat the milk, the eggs, the warm bacon fat and the honey together in a second bowl until they are smooth. In a third bowl, toss the corn kernels, the cooked bacon and the chopped basil with the reserved 3 tablespoons of flour until everything is lightly dusted.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry and fold with a spatula about ten strokes, stopping while streaks of dry flour are still visible. Add the floured corn, bacon and basil and fold four or five more strokes, no further. Let the batter stand on the counter for 10 minutes so the cornmeal hydrates and the mixture thickens.
Bake and Cool
- Divide the batter between the twelve liners, filling each about three quarters full. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, until the tops spring back and an instant-read thermometer in the center muffin reads 200F to 205F. Start checking at 14 minutes.
- Rest the tin on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then lift the muffins out so the bottoms do not steam. Serve them warm. Once they are completely cool they can go into an airtight box, but never while any warmth is left in them or the liners will peel away.
Notes
Adapted from The Neely's Honey Cornbread Muffins.
Rest the batter for 10 minutes before it goes into the tin. Cornmeal hydrates slowly and the batter thickens visibly while it stands.
Fold about ten strokes and stop while streaks of dry flour still show. A smooth batter builds gluten and gives a tough, tunneled crumb.
Toss the corn, bacon and basil with the reserved 3 tablespoons of flour or they sink to the bottom of every cup.
Doneness: 200F to 205F in the middle of the center muffin. Start checking at 14 minutes, because honey browns the tops before the insides are set.
Make ahead: the batter holds overnight, covered, in the refrigerator. Bake it from cold and add 2 minutes.
Storage: 2 days airtight at room temperature, 5 days refrigerated, 3 months frozen and wrapped individually.
Without pork: use 1/4 cup melted butter and raise the salt to 1 teaspoon.
Nutrition values are an estimate.
Nutrition
Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3.5g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 330mg | Potassium: 175mg | Fiber: 1.5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 150IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 1.1mg