In Texas and throughout the South, a myriad of barbecue joints claim to have the “best barbecue,” and Salt Lick Barbecue in Driftwood, Texas is a definite contender. The Salt Lick Cookbook (University of Texas Press, 2012), by Scott Roberts and Jessica Dupuy, can show you the art of Texas barbecue. Scott Roberts, the owner of Salt Lick Barbecue, is
building on the foundation of a business that was laid down by his family over
130 years ago. This excerpt, from
chapter four, “Life on the Ranch,” walks you through this quick jalapeño cornbread recipe.
Jalapeño cornbread recipe
2 tablespoons bacon grease
In skillet, melt butter over low heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add sausage and jalapeños, and cook 1 more minute. Remove from heat, keep warm, reserve.
Heat oven to 350°F.
Mix well 5 dry ingredients. Whip
together buttermilk and eggs. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients, and
mix well. Fold in sausage mixture and pan scrapings. Fold in creamed corn. Let
rest while heating skillet and grease.
Place bacon grease in 9-inch
cast-iron skillet, and heat in oven. When grease begins to smoke, remove
skillet. Stir cornbread mixture, carefully pour into hot grease, return to
oven, and bake for 30 minutes, or until top is brown and toothpick inserted
into middle comes out clean.
NOTE: “This isn’t in the recipe,
but sometimes when Hisako was making this cornbread for us at home, she would
render lard out of bacon and use the leftover cracklins in the cornbread
batter. It’s a little extra work, but it’s worth it.”
Learn
the history of Salt Lick Barbecue in Texas Barbecue: The Salt Lick Cookbook.
This excerpt has been
reprinted with the permission of The Salt Lick Cookbook: A Story of Land, Family, and Love, By Scott Roberts and Jessica Dupuy, published by University
of Texas Press, 2012.
