A meaty, savory Southern cornbread favorite.

To add sugar, blasphemy; to not add any sugar, tasteless rubbish.

So grab your cast-iron skillet and cornmeal.

Southern Living Cracklin Cornbread with Whipped Jalapeno Butter sliced on plates to serve

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You’ll want to try this dish ASAP!

What Are Pork Cracklings?

Pork cracklings are the bits of pork that remain after pork fat trimmings are rendered.

Southern Living Cracklin Cornbread with Whipped Jalapeno Butter ingredients

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Those cracklings are then fried until they’re brown and crispy.

You’ve never tasted anything quite as savory and delicious as pork cracklings.

By Another Name

In Louisiana, cracklings are calledgraton.

Southern Living Cracklin Cornbread with Whipped Jalapeno Butter in the pan to serve with two glasses of beer beside

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That’s the French word for these rendered little morsels of meat.

Can You Buy Cracklings?

Yes, you absolutely can buy pork cracklings.

Southern Living Cracklin Cornbread with Whipped Jalapeno Butter melting the butter in the skillet

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Most grocery stores have them, and butchers certainly do.

(Just ask if they’re not displayed in a meat case.)

Be sure you’re buying cracklings.

Southern Living Cracklin Cornbread with Whipped Jalapeno butter mixing together the dry ingredients

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Don’t accidentally pick up pork rinds, pork skins, or chicharrones.

These are not the same are pork cracklings.

Serve it alongside a pot of soup orchili, and your family will slather their cornbread wedges high.

Southern Living Cracklin Cornbread with Whipped Jalapeno Butter batter after mixing

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The addition of cracklins doesn’t require any special work.

The full recipe (plus step-by-step photos) is below.

If you want to freeze cracklin' cornbread, wrap wedges first in storage wrap, the aluminum foil.

Southern Living Cracklin Cornbread with Whipped Jalapeno Butter in the pan before baking

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Label and date it, and store up to 3 months.

Then warm in the toaster oven or microwave.

More Southern Cornbread Favorites

Southerners love cornbread in its many forms.

Southern Living Cracklin Cornbread with Whipped Jalapeno Butter cornbread after baking

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)unsalted butter, divided

1 1/2 cups (about4oz.

)self-rising flour

1 cup (about5 3/4oz.

Whipped Jalapeno Butter:

1/2 cup (4oz.

Southern Living Cracklin Cornbread with Whipped Jalapeno Butter making the jalapeno butter

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)unsalted butter, softened

3 Tbsp.

finely chopped jalapeno chile (from1[1-1/2 oz.

Meanwhile, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.

Southern Living Cracklin Cornbread with Jalapeno Butter after baking ready to serve

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Place remaining 1/4 cup butter in a microwavable dish.

Microwave on HIGH, in 15-second intervals, until fully melted, about 30 seconds.

(Do not overmix batter.)

Remove from oven; cool in skillet for 10 minutes before serving.

Slice and serve cornbread warm with Whipped Jalapeno Butter.