1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon plus 1 pinch salt, divided
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
2 cups yellow cornmeal
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1¾ cups whole milk
2 tablespoons honey
1 large egg, beaten
¼ cup bacon drippings
¼ cup salted butter, melted
Instructions
Place a deep 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven, and preheat oven to 450°.
Place crawfish tails in a colander to drain; give crawfish a gentle squeeze to remove excess liquid.
In a medium skillet, melt ½ cup unsalted butter over medium-high heat, swirling occasionally, until foamy. Add bell pepper, green onion, a pinch of salt, and black pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until bell pepper is softened, about 5 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper, and cook, stirring for 30 seconds. Stir in crawfish and granulated garlic, and cook until moisture evaporates, about 5 minutes.
In a small microwave-safe bowl, place 7 tablespoons butter, and heat on high for until melted, about 45 seconds. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and remaining 1 tablespoon salt. Stir in milk and honey. Add melted unsalted butter and egg; stir or whisk until combined. Add crawfish mixture, stirring to combine.
Carefully remove cast-iron skillet from oven, and place over high heat. Add bacon drippings, and cook until smoking; add remaining ¼ cup unsalted butter, swirling to coat bottom and sides of pan. Add batter, and smooth top with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Reserve remaining 1 tablespoon unsalted butter for another use.
Bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Carefully turn out onto a cutting board. Brush generously with melted salted butter, cut into pieces, and serve hot.
Recipe by Louisiana Cookin' at https://louisianacookin.com/crawfish-cornbread/