Grilled Jalapeño Cornbread

This easy grilled jalapeño cornbread is smoky and moist, cooks in under half an hour on the grill, and can be made ahead of time. Combining just the right amount of heat and sweet between its crispy edges, this cast iron skillet recipe is the perfect BBQ side dish for your low and slow smoked meats.

This is one of my go-to side dishes to throw together when I have larger meats on the go on the smoker. As batters go, it’s easy to mix together, and it only needs 30 minutes over indirect heat on the grill until it’s done.

Cooking it in a hot cast iron skillet has its advantages. Obviously one is that it keeps cleanup simple, but more importantly it helps us get a beautiful crust on the outside of the cornbread without it sticking to the pan.

And the flavor in this dish is amazing. It carries the perfect level of spice from its fresh jalapeño peppers (just be sure to deseed them!) and its light honey glaze gives it a sweet finish that goes perfectly with the heat. And with the lovely crust on the outside, the buttermilk and fresh corn in the batter keep the rest of the cornbread moist and fluffy.

Grilled Jalapeño Cornbread

Easy jalapeño cornbread cooked on the grill. Smoky, sweet, and with a delicious crispy edge, this easy skillet recipe is the perfect BBQ side dish.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings 8

Equipment

• 10-inch cast iron skillet
• blender
• toothpick

Ingredients

  

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• 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels, well-drained
• 3 fresh jalapeños ends and seeds removed
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• ¼ cup melted butter, cooled
• butter for greasing the skillet

Topping

• 1 fresh jalapeño thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp honey
• coarse salt

Instructions

 

• In a large bowl, add the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cayenne pepper. Whisk until fully combined.
• Add the grated cheese and lightly toss with your hands until well incorporated.
• In a blender, add the fresh corn, buttermilk, honey, and jalapeños. Pulse 6-8 times.
• Add the eggs and melted butter to the blender. Ensure that the butter has fully cooled before adding so it doesn’t scramble the eggs. Pulse 4-5 times.
• Form a well in the dry ingredients, and slowly pour in the wet mix. Fold to mix gently (the batter contains gluten, so do not overmix otherwise the batter will turn tough). Rest the batter for at least 5 minutes to let the ingredients hydrate.
• Heat your charcoal grill with a full chimney of coals. Set up for indirect heat, with the charcoal banked to one side, and the vents wide open. While your grill preheats, place a cast iron skillet on the indirect side of the grill to warm up.
• After 5-10 minutes, remove the skillet from the grill (use heatproof gloves – it will be hot). Carefully grease the inside of the pan with butter. Pour in the batter, smoothing the top to make it level. Top the batter with sliced jalapeños.
• Place the skillet on the indirect side of the grill. Close the lid and cook for 20-25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the cook.
• The cornbread will be ready when the edges are golden brown and the center is springy. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cornbread, and checking to see it’s clean when pulled out (a few crumbs is fine).
• Pull the skillet from the grill (again, be sure to use heatproof gloves) and use a spatula to remove the cornbread from the skillet. Drizzle with honey and top with a sprinkle of salt. Let it cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving while still warm.

Notes

• If using a pellet or gas grill, warm it to 350-400°F (180-205°C).
• Make sure you use fine cornmeal and not coarse. Fine cornmeal handles the added ingredients better while still giving us that tender, cake-like texture we want.
• If you want to dial down the heat, use 2 chopped jalapeños in the batter instead of 3. Also make sure you use fresh peppers and not pickled or brined.
• Need a quick buttermilk substitute? Mix together 240ml whole milk with 1 tbsp white vinegar, and leave to rest for 10 minutes until it’s lightly thickened.
• Store leftover cornbread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days
• To reheat cornbread, lightly oil a pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the cornbread and cover with a lid, reheating for 5-10 minutes.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!