Mrs. Harris's Crackling Corn Bread

• MAKE-AHEAD

Ingredients

1. 1 pound thickly sliced country-style bacon or pork rind, cut into 1/3 -inch pieces
2. 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
3. 1 cup all-purpose flour
4. 2 tablespoons sugar
5. 2 teaspoons baking powder
6. 1/2 cteaspoon salt
7. 1 1/4 cups milk
8. 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
9. 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until crisp, about 7 minutes. Drain on paper towels; reserve 2 tablespoons of the drippings.
2. Wipe out the skillet and set it over low heat. Add the drippings and swirl to coat. In a medium bowl, combine the cornmeal with the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a glass measuring cup, combine the milk and eggs and add to the cornmeal mixture along with the butter; stir just until the cornmeal is moistened. Fold in the bacon and pour the batter into the warm skillet. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm.