Prep time:  10 mins | Cook time:  1 hr 37 mins | Cool Time: 3 hrs

Total time:  4 hrs 47 mins | Serves: 1 loaf

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Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Texas Black Gold Garlic Sea Salt, divided use

• 5 slices bacon, chopped (approximately 1 cup)

• ½ cup onion, minced

• ½ head Texas Black Gold Garlic, minced

• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded (3 ounces, divided use)

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour (12½ ounces)

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 2 thick slices jalapeño jack cheese (4 ounces, from deli) cut into ½ inch cubes, approximately 1 cup

• 1 cup whole milk

• ½ cup sour cream (4 ounces)

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• 1 large egg

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Instructions

1. In a coffee grinder or small food processor, grind Texas Black Gold Garlic Sea Salt until finely ground. Measure 1 tablespoon and another 1 teaspoon and set aside.

2. In a skillet, cook bacon over medium heat, just until it starts to brown, approximately 1-2 minutes. Add onion and minced Texas Black Gold Garlic, continuing to cook until bacon is crisp and onion is soft, approximately 1-2 minutes longer. Transfer to small bowl and allow to cool.

3. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8½-inch by 4½-inch loaf pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper. Sprinkle ½ cup Parmesan evenly in bottom of pan.

4. Whisk flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon finely ground Texas Black Gold Garlic Sea Salt, pepper and cayenne pepper together in large bowl. Add the cheese cubes and bacon mixture; using your fingers, coat until all is separated and coated with flour mixture.

5. Whisk milk, sour cream, butter and egg together in a second bowl. Gently fold milk mixture into flour mixture until just combined. (Batter will be heavy and thick; do not over-mix.)

6. Scoop batter into prepared loaf pan and spread to smooth top. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup Parmesan evenly over top of bread. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the finely ground Texas Black Gold Garlic Sea Salt evenly over the top of the Parmesan layer.

7. Bake loaf until golden brown, rotating loaf pan halfway through baking, approximately 50-60 minutes. Use a cake tester or long wooden skewer and  insert in center of loaf. It’s done when it comes out clean. (Make sure not to insert through a chunk of cheese.)

8. Remove from oven and allow to cook on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove loaf from pan and discard parchment paper. Let cool completely on wire rack, approximately 3 hours before slicing.

9. To slice, use a serrated bread knife turning bread loaf on its side, slicing through the side crust. This will make sure the bottom and crusty top is sliced through and not torn.

10. To serve, top with butter. Also good toasted, buttered and also spread with Bacon Jam