Cornbread With Bacon Crust

      Seems like I'm on a bacon roll lately, this Cornbread with Bacon Crust from a Nov. 2009 issue of Bon Appetit not only makes enough to feed an army but is topped with crispy pieces of bacon.  If you have the patience, cook the bacon in your dutch oven otherwise use your cast iron skillet.  Coat your 12 inch dutch oven with the bacon drippings, pour in the batter and sprinkle with the crumbled bacon.  The cornbread was cooked through and golden in 30 minutes with 12 briquettes in a ring around the base of the oven and 28 on the lid.  Very moist, speckled with corn and brimming with bacon flavor, remember this recipe next time you're looking for something good to make for a crowd.

Cornbread with Bacon Crust
10 thick-cut bacon slices
1 1/2 cups medium-grind cornmeal
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 Tblsp light brown sugar
1 Tblsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 2/3 cup whole milk
3 large eggs
3 Tblsp honey
2 Tblsp unsalted butter, melted
2 cups frozen corn kernels (unthawed) OR 1 15 oz. can corn, drained

     Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until just crisp; drain on paper towels.
     Reserve 2 tablespoons of drippings from skillet.  Crumble bacon into small pieces.
     Coat 12 inch dutch oven with bacon drippings.
     Whisk cornmeal, flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl.
     Whisk milk, eggs, honey, and butter in medium bowl.
     Stir milk mixture into dry ingredients.
     Mix in corn.
     Pour batter into prepared dutch oven.
     Sprinkle bacon over batter.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until cornbread is golden and tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
     Cool at least 30 minutes.  Makes 12-16 servings.

Right before baking sprinkle bacon on thick batter

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through

This bacon crusted cornbread makes enough to feed a troop of hungry campers