Jalapeño Cornbread
Jalapeño Cornbread
A savoury skillet cornbread: Unico corn meal and corn flour with buttermilk and canola oil, studded with sliced green jalapeños and baked in a hot, oiled pan for a crisp golden crust.
Prep: 15 minutes · Cook: 25 minutes
What Is Jalapeño Cornbread?
A savoury cornbread built on a blend of corn meal and corn flour: the meal for its golden, slightly gritty crumb, the flour for a finer, softer texture. Buttermilk and baking soda lift it, canola oil keeps it moist, and drained jalapeño slices run through it for a bright, vinegary heat. Baking it in a preheated oiled pan is what gives the crust its crackle.
Why Make Jalapeño Cornbread?
- Ready in about 40 minutes, start to table
- Corn meal and corn flour together give crumb and tenderness
- Sliced jalapeños add heat straight from the jar
- Canola oil keeps it moist longer than an all-butter crumb
- Cuts into squares for a crowd
Unico Products Used in This Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups corn meal (yellow (200 g))
- 3/4 cup corn flour (95 g)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk (310 ml)
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup pure canola oil (80 ml, plus 1 tbsp for the pan)
- 1/2 cup jalapeño peppers (sliced, drained and chopped (125 ml))
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F (220C). Put 1 tbsp of the canola oil in a 9-inch cast-iron skillet or metal cake pan and set it in the oven to heat.
- Whisk the corn meal, corn flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl.
- In a second bowl, beat the buttermilk, eggs and remaining oil until smooth.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir just until combined; a few lumps are fine. Fold in the drained jalapeño slices.
- Take the hot pan from the oven, swirl the oil to coat the base and sides, and pour in the batter. It should sizzle at the edges.
- Bake 22 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden and a skewer comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before cutting into squares.
Cooking Tips
- Heat the pan with the oil in it; a cold pan means a pale, soft crust
- Stir the batter only until it comes together, or the crumb turns tough
- Drain the jalapeño slices well and pat them dry so the batter is not watered down
- Serve warm the day it is baked; reheat squares in a hot oven rather than a microwave
Frequently Asked Questions About Jalapeño Cornbread
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1. Can I leave the jalapeños out?
Yes — the batter works as a plain savoury cornbread without them. Fold in corn kernels or grated cheese instead if you want something in the crumb.
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2. Does this cornbread contain allergens?
It is not gluten-free: Unico Corn Meal and Corn Flour both carry a "may contain wheat" precaution. Unico Sliced Green Jalapeño Peppers declare sulphites, and the recipe also uses eggs and buttermilk. Always check the current label.
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3. Why heat the pan before the batter goes in?
The oil is already hot when the batter hits it, so the outside sets and crisps immediately instead of soaking it in.
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4. Can I use regular milk instead of buttermilk?
Yes. Stir 1 tbsp of lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 1/4 cups of milk and let it stand 5 minutes; the baking soda needs the acid.
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5. How should I store the leftovers?
Wrap and keep at room temperature for up to two days, or freeze the squares. Warm them in a hot oven to bring the crust back.
Cooking Guides & Tips
- Polenta 101: How to Cook Cornmeal How to cook polenta from cornmeal — creamy soft polenta or firm grilled polenta — with ratios, timing and tips.
- Choosing a Neutral Cooking Oil: Canola, Sunflower, Grapeseed and Vegetable When you want an oil that won't add flavour — canola, sunflower, grapeseed or vegetable — and how to choose for frying and baking.
Jalapeño Cornbread Made Simple
Jalapeño Cornbread turns a few Unico pantry staples into a single pan of golden, savoury bread. Unico corn meal and corn flour do the work of the crumb, Unico pure canola oil keeps it tender, and Unico sliced green jalapeño peppers supply the heat straight from the jar. It belongs beside a bowl of chili or bean soup, and it is just as good split and buttered on its own.