Cast-Iron Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread

Photo 2019-08-12, 6 40 47 PM.jpg

It’s BBQ season and we can’t stop, won’t stop.  In my opinion, nothing pairs better with BBQ than cornbread.  This sweet and salty, crispy, a little spicy and cheesy cornbread is the perfect side dish to anything you’re grilling.  It also makes an amazing breakfast bread the next day topped with a sunny-side-up egg.  If you have any leftover, that is.  We found this mini cornbread pan on our annual antiquing adventure to Michigan and it’s just the cutest.  If you don’t have a mini cornbread pan, no problem.   This recipe works just as well in a standard 10 inch cast-iron skillet.  Lastly, if you’re gluten-free, I’ve made this recipe with rice flour in place of all-purpose flour and it turned out beautifully.  

Ingredients:

  • 1 ¼ cups yellow cornmeal

  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (can also use rice flour for a gluten-free option)

  • 2 tablespoons sugar

  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking sugar

  • ½ teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 ¼ teaspoons salt

  • 1 egg slightly beaten

  • 1 ¾ cups buttermilk **cheat below**

  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno

  • 1 ½ cups grated extra-old cheddar

  • 4 tablespoons butter

Buttermilk Cheat:

Add 1 1/3 tablespoons of white vinegar into a 2 cup measuring cup.  Pour in enough regular milk to reach the 1 ¾ cup line.  Stir and let stand for 5 mins and, voila, buttermilk!

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Place your cornbread pan or 10 inch skillet in the oven as it preheats.  You want to get the pan nice and hot.

In a large bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk egg into buttermilk.  Mix in chopped jalapeno and extra-old cheddar.  Stir into flour/cornmeal mixture.

Pull the pan out of the oven and drop in the butter, making sure you swirl it around to coat the sides.  If you’re using the cornbread pan like I did, use about ½ teaspoon of butter in each little corn, making sure you swirl the melted butter around well to coat the individual corns.

Pour the batter into your screaming-hot skillet/drop it into your cornbread pan.

Bake Times:

  • 20-25 mins for 10 inch cast-iron skillet

  • 10 mins for mini corn pan (this recipe will make about 24 mini corns)

  • Let cool slightly.  Cut into wedges/just pop the little corns out of the pan.  Serve warm!

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