Easy Cracklin’ Cornbread Muffins

Savory muffins with tasty pieces of fried pork (cracklings).  Delicious alone, drizzled with honey or maple syrup.  This is a variation of my Easy Cracklin’ Cornbread  made with precooked pork fat.  Quick and easy to make.

Although my favorite Hormel brand is precooked before packaging, I fry a few minutes in vegetable oil to enhance flavor.  Frying also seasons the vegetable oil which is used to grease the muffin tin.

Fried pork fat is famous for the hard edges called meat skins.  Remove before adding to cornbread batter to protect teeth.  Meat skins are very hard.  Press cooked cracklings with back of a spoon.  REMOVE all hard pieces that feel like rocks.  Add soft pieces of fried pork to cornbread batter.

Enjoy!

Print Recipe

Easy Cracklin' Cornbread Muffins

Savory muffins with tasty pieces of fried pork (cracklings). Delicious as is, drizzled with honey or maple syrup. Recipe and photography by Beverly Davis for CornbreadMillionaire.com.

Course

Bread, Side Dish

Cuisine

American, southern

Keyword

cornbread, muffins

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

25 minutes

Servings

muffins

Ingredients

• 1 cup processed/precooked cracklings
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 box (8.5 ounces) corn muffin mix
• 3 tablespoons self-rising white cornmeal mix
• 2 tablespoons sugar (optional)
• 2 medium eggs, beaten
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 3 teaspoons vegetable oil for muffin tin

Course Bread, Side Dish Cuisine American, southern Keyword cornbread, muffins Prep Time 30 minutes Cook Time 25 minutes Servings muffins Ingredients 1 cup processed/precooked cracklings 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 box (8.5 ounces) corn muffin mix 3 tablespoons self-rising white cornmeal mix 2 tablespoons sugar (optional) 2 medium eggs, beaten 2 cups buttermilk 3 teaspoons vegetable oil for muffin tin

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Use an 8" skillet (thick cornbread) or a 9" (thin cornbread). Spread cracklings in a medium-sized skillet.
3. Add 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Stir until evenly coated.
4. Warm on top of stove over low-medium heat. Stir constantly for 2-3 minutes until vegetable oil and cracklings are golden brown. Do not leave stove while cooking.
5. Turn off heat. Sprinkle salt over cracklings. Stir well. Crush to small pieces using heavy spatula or spoon. Set aside.
6. In medium-sized bowl, combine corn muffin mix, self-rising white corn meal mix, sugar (if using), egg, and buttermilk. Stir together until smooth. Small lumps okay.
7. Use a large spoon to scoop cracklings and some of drippings from skillet. Use leftover drippings to grease muffin tin.
8. Stir together cornbread batter and 3/4 cup of cracklings until evenly combined. Set batter and leftover cracklings aside.
9. Place 1/2 teaspoon of drippings in each muffin's cup (6 cups total). If you don't have enough drippings, use 1/2 teaspoon of vegetable oil.
10. Pour 2-1/2 tablespoons of cornbread batter into each cup.
11. Reduce oven to 375 degrees. Bake 10 minutes. Carefully remove from oven. Place 1/2 teaspoon of cooked/crumbled cracklings on top of each muffin.
12. Return to oven. Bake 10 to 15 minutes OR until golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean.
13. Serve hot.

Recipe Notes

These savory muffins, with tasty pieces of fried pork (cracklings) are a variation of  two popular recipes on my site:  Cracklin' Cornbread made with cured salt pork fat back and Easy Cracklin' Cornbread made with processed pork cracklings.