Cracklin' Bread

- 2 cups unsifted stone-ground cornmeal (do not use granular supermarket meal)
- Âľ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup cracklin’s (see headnote)
- 1Âľ cups sour milk or buttermilk
Instructions:
Cracklin’s are the crisp meaty bits left after pork fat has been rendered into lard—a delicious byproduct of the annual autumn hog killings.
- Preheat the oven to 400° F. Coat an 8 × 8 × 2-inch square pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Combine the cornmeal, salt, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl; add the cracklin’s, toss well to mix, then make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients.
- Pour the milk into the well in the dry ingredients and stir only enough to form a stiff dough. Scoop into the pan, spreading to the corners.
- Bake the cracklin’ bread on the middle oven shelf for 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned and springy to the touch.
- Cut into squares and serve hot. No butter needed.