Farmers John and Emily Barnes of Bravo Steaks met over cattle and dreamed of someday starting their own farm. They are now first-generation farmers that raise Berkshire pigs as well as black Angus and Angus-cross cattle on fresh pasture in the Carolinas. If you are in the Charlotte and Midlands-SC markets which includes Columbia, South Carolina, and Augusta, Georgia, you can find their products on Market Wagon. 

They created a delicious Mexican inspired dish that includes their ground beef, fresh produce from local farms, and a variety of spices. If you aren't in their markets, you can still create the recipe with delicious meat and produce from local farmers in your community!​

Ingredients:

• 1/2 onion, diced
  
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced 
  
• 1 lb Bravo Steaks ground beef
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1 teaspoon cumin
  
• 2 teaspoon chili powder 
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 
  
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  
• 1 can black beans, drained 
  
• 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
  
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
  
• Small box of Jiffy corn muffin mix
  
• 1 egg
  
• 1/2 cup milk 
  
• 1/2 cup to 1 cup shredded cheese
  
• Jalapeños for decoration if you choose

Instructions: 

1. Cook onion, jalapeño, and ground beef in a cast iron skillet.  
   
2. Once cooked, drain any excess fat.  
   
3. Stir tomato paste, garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper into the cooked beef.  
   
4. Add black beans, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.
   
5. While it is simmering, preheat the oven to 400°. 
   
6. Meanwhile, make the cornbread topping - combine the Jiffy mix with egg and milk.  Normal Jiffy muffin mix calls for just 1/3 cup milk but this recipe uses 1/2 cup so that the batter will be thinner and easier to spread.  
   
7. Once the cornbread batter is mixed, the best way to spread it evenly over the beef+beans in the skillet is to dollop spoonfuls of it all around the surface of the beef mixture, then carefully spread to fill in any gaps.  
   
8. Sprinkle with cheese. 
   
9. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until cornbread topping is fully cooked and cheese is golden. To prevent any mess in the oven, you may need to place a sheet of aluminum foil or a baking pan under the cast iron skillet to catch any juices that bubble up. 
   
10. Serve with cilantro, extra jalapenos if you like, and a dollop of sour cream.  

Alternative: if you don't have Jiffy mix, you can make your own -- combine 2/3 cup flour, 1/2 cup corn meal, 3 tablespoons white sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons oil. Use this in the above directions when it calls for combining a box of Jiffy mix with egg and milk.