Ultimate Corn Pudding

This Ultimate Corn Pudding recipe incorporates three “secret” ingredients giving it a major flavor boost that will make your taste buds sing!

Who doesn’t enjoy a good corn pudding?  As American as apple pie, corn pudding goes back many generations as classic down-home comfort food.

I’m a little picky when it comes to corn pudding, especially where texture is concerned.  A good corn pudding needs to be moist but not soggy, tender but not mushy.  And of course it needs to be flavorful.

This corn pudding recipe meets all the requirements.  Its full name would be Ultimate Skillet Corn Pudding with Masa, Mesquite and Bacon.  And normally for an “ultimate” version of something savory like this I would add some cheese.  But in this case I really didn’t feel the cheese would enhance the dish but would interfere with with the magic of the masa harina and mesquite powder.

Those two ingredients really do wonders here.  The masa harina enhances the corn flavor (because really, the corn flavor is the best part about corn pudding, right?) while the mesquite powder adds a flavor dimension that will simply knock your socks off!  In a matter of speaking.

I first heard about mesquite powder from one of our readers, Susan, several years ago.  She told me how she makes her own mesquite powder from the pods that grow near her home and praised this curious substance for its amazing flavor.  I was really intrigued and naturally had to look into it.  The moment I tried some I was sold.

Mesquite powder (aka mesquite flour) comes from mesquite pods that allowed to fully ripen and are the gently dried at low temperatures and then milled into a fine powder.  Much of the mesquite powder on the market comes from Peru.  The brand I’ve been using, Terrasoul, is organic and raw, never having been heated above 118 degrees F.

Mesquite powder is great added to smoothies, raw desserts and energy bars and is a great source of vitamins and minerals, including calcium, fiber, protein and amino acids.  While we’re not capitalizing on its raw qualities in this cooked recipe, we’re using it for its amazing flavor.  And I’ll tell you, a little goes a long way!

The mesquite powder, masa harina and bacon all contribute a great flavor and aroma to this corn pudding.  Our corn-loving son (5 years old at the time I first made this) was drawn to the aroma, took a big whiff, and was left with a big silly grin :)

Both of our kids enjoyed this and paired with a salad made for some great comfort family eating.

Ready to make some ultimate skillet corn pudding?

Ultimate Corn Pudding Recipe

Let’s get started!

Fry the bacon in a 10-inch cast iron skillet until done.

Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

In a mixing bowl combine all the dry ingredients.

Add the remaining ingredients except for the corn and stir to combine.

Stir in the corn and the onion/bacon mixture.

Melt the butter in the skillet to coat the bottom and sides.

Pour the mixture into the skillet.

Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees F for 45-50 minutes or until it’s slightly firm to the touch and nicely golden brown.

Let it sit for 5 minutes and then serve by scooping it out with a spoon.

Enjoy!

 

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For more delicious Southern fare be sure to try our:

• Sausage Gravy
• Best Ever Buttermilk Biscuits
• Smothered Chicken
• Jambalaya
• Grillades and Grits
• Andouille and Greens with Cheese Grits
• Cajun Catfish and Chips
• Chicken Fried Steak Burgers
• Sweet Potato Pie

Originally published on The Daring Gourmet on May 11, 2016