Kent Rollins (kentrollins.com) is one of my favorite chefs to watch. Here is his Cast Iron Cornbread if you want to give it a try.
He even has a video on the page, worth watchin’!
Cowboy-Style Corn Bread
Get six slices of thick cut bacon and cook it up to your desired crispiness. Hang on to the bacon grease! This is going to add flavor to the corn bread and ensure that it doesn’t stick to the cast iron Dutch oven.
Add the chopped bacon and the drained can of Hatch green chilies (diced) and mix well. Stir in half the bacon grease and use the other half to coat the interior of the Dutch oven. Pour in the corn bread batter and put in the oven if you’re indoors.
Tip: Tap the Dutch oven on the counter a few times after you pour the batter inside to release any air bubbles and ensure even baking.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup milk
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter melted
- 6 slices of cooked bacon chopped, reserve the grease
- 1 4 ounce can diced green chilis drained
- Indoors: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Directions
- In a mixing bowl, add the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Mix well.
- Make a well in the bottom of the cornbread mixture and crack the egg. Whisk until smooth. Add the milk and stir, and then add the melted butter and mix well.
- Add the drained green chilis and bacon. Add ½ the reserved bacon grease and mix well.
- In a Dutch oven, spread the remaining bacon grease to thoroughly grease the cast iron surface. Pour in the cornbread mixture and smack the Dutch oven down on the counter a few times to get the batter set. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
How to Cook Corn Bread Outdoors in a Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Cornbread is a great beginner recipe for those who want to learn to cook outside using a cast iron Dutch oven. You want to start off with a well-seasoned Dutch oven. If you are new to cast iron, save yourself a hassle and watch our Cast Iron care video so you can establish a good seasoning right away.
You will want to use a trivet that is about 5 inches off the ground, and you want it to support the Dutch oven evenly so the batter doesn’t all run to one side or the other.
Cooking outdoors in a Dutch oven will always take the wind conditions into account. You want to surround the outside of the trivet with coals and leave the area directly under the Dutch oven alone. The air is going to circulate that heat directly to the bottom of the pan. Spread coals over the lid of the oven to cook the top.
Tip: Always use hardwood lump charcoal instead of briquets.