How do you prevent cornbread from sticking to the cast iron skillet?

Make sure that you start with a well-seasoned skillet that is preheated. Heat expands the pores and abrasions in a cast iron skillet and as the skillet cools they contract, trapping the food particles and causing them to stick.

What is the best pan for baking cornbread?

A cast iron skillet is ideal for baking cornbread on the grill and in the oven. It can handle the high temperature while conducting heat evenly, creating that crispy, golden crust. If used properly its nonstick surface is ideally suited for baking.

What size skillet should I use for cornbread?

For this recipe, a 10” skillet is recommended. This will give you the height and rise to the cornbread that ensures it stays both moist and fluffy. Anything larger and you’ll have a flatter cornbread that is more dense and less moist.

Can I bake skillet cornbread in the oven?

Yes! This same recipe can be baked in the oven. Preheat your oven to 450°F. Place the heated skillet on the middle rack in the middle of the oven and allow it to bake for about 15 minutes. Baking time will vary by oven.

Is cornbread gluten-free?

Not always, but THIS skillet cornbread recipe is naturally gluten-free because there is no flour in this recipe and only cornmeal.

Skillet Green Chile Cornbread

Name: Skillet Green Chile Cornbread
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Side Dish
Ingredients: 2 cups coarse cornmeal; 1 ½ teaspoon sea salt; ½ teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon baking powder; 1 ½ cups full-fat buttermilk; 1 large egg, lightly beaten; ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon melted lard (manteca, bacon grease or shortening); ½ cup diced roasted green chiles (Hatch, Anaheim, poblanos)

Ingredients

Scale

2 cups coarse cornmeal
1 ½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ cups full-fat buttermilk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon melted lard (manteca, bacon grease or shortening)
½ cup diced roasted green chiles (Hatch, Anaheim, poblanos)

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Instructions

Preheat grill to 450°F. Light the charcoal and place the coals on either side of the grill, leaving a cooler zone in the middle. Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet over the coals to preheat for at least 10 minutes.
Roast the chiles directly over the coals until the skin has blistered. Place them in a sealed container or plastic bag so they steam and release the skin. Remove the skin, and seeds, and dice the chiles.
Combine the cornmeal, salt, baking soda and baking powder into a large bowl and whisk to combine the ingredients.
Whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and ¼ cup melted lard in a small bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients along with the diced green chiles, and mix with a spatula gently just to combine. Do not whisk or overmix the batter.
Remove the hot skillet (carefully) from the grill and add the remaining tablespoon of melted lard to the pan, swirling to coat the bottom. Pour in the batter quickly so it distributes across the bottom, which will sizzle a little.
Bake the cornbread in the cool zone (middle of the grill) for about 15 minutes. Rotate the skillet halfway through to ensure the cornbread cooks evenly on the sides. Test doneness with a toothpick inserted in the center, which should come out clean. Serve warm with butter or honey.

Notes

Taste your chiles before adding them to your cornbread. You don’t want to completely overwhelm your guests with every bite!
Make sure your skillet is properly heated before adding the batter. This will not only give you that golden crust but also allow the cornbread to easily release from the skillet.
When baking your cornbread on the grill make sure that the skillet remains over indirect heat. Cooking directly over the charcoal could result in a burnt crust. Rotating the pan halfway through baking will also ensure that it cooks evenly.

Author: Brad Prose
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Side Dish
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Side Dish, Cornbread

Keywords: skillet cornbread, grilling cornbread, green chile cornbread, moist cornbread