Ingredients
1 tbsp. vegetable oil or melted butter
1 1/4 c. fine-ground cornmeal
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 large eggs
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. whole milk
2 c. blueberries, divided
1 tbsp. granulated sugar (optional)
Preparation
Step 1Preheat a grill to 400° and bank coals to one side or, if using a gas grill, turn off burners on one side to create an indirect heat zone. (If baking in an oven, preheat to 400°.) Grease a 10" cast-iron skillet with oil.Step 2In a medium bowl, whisk cornmeal, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to combine. In a large bowl, whisk eggs until combined, then whisk in butter, sour cream, and milk. Using a rubber spatula, fold in dry ingredients until no streaks remain. Step 3Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle 1 cup blueberries over, then top with remaining batter. Top with remaining blueberries and sprinkle with granulated sugar, if using.Step 4Place cast-iron skillet on grill over indirect heat and cover grill. Bake, making sure temperature remains consistent, until cornbread is golden brown and firm to the touch, and a tester inserted into center comes out with a couple moist crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. (If baking in an oven, place cast-iron skillet in center of oven and bake 25 to 30 minutes.) Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
Read on for more tips to make this easy camping recipe. If you’re looking for more ways to get your skillet in the mix this summer, why not check out more of our favorite cast-iron skillet recipes? How do I keep the blueberries from sinking? Some recipes call for tossing the fruit with a little flour to prevent sinkage, but here we’re taking a slightly different approach. Rather than stirring the berries into the cornbread batter, we’re spreading them between layers of batter as we pour it into the pan: a layer of batter, followed by a layer of blueberries, then another layer of batter before we finish with the rest of the blueberries on top. This way ensures we’ll get blueberries distributed evenly throughout all layers and sides of the cornbread—not to mention that the final layer of berries creates a really cool pattern on top of the baked cornbread! Why am I sprinkling sugar on top? As the cornbread bakes, the sugar will melt and caramelize, creating a beautiful golden brown crust and adding just a touch of sweetness to the top of the cornbread. It’s not necessary, but we love the extra texture and shine it gives. How do I bake cornbread on the grill? Baking on a grill may sound intimidating, but it’s actually pretty simple. Heat your grill to the desired temperature (in this case, 400°), then shift the coals over to one side of the grill (or turn off the burners on one side of the grill on a gas grill). This creates an indirect heat zone, a place where your cornbread can bake in heat radiating around the grill (just like it would if it were in an oven) without getting heat directly underneath it. Place the cast-iron skillet on the grill grates over the indirect heat zone, shut the grill lid, and let the cornbread bake. You’ll need to monitor the grill during the baking time to make sure it maintains the proper temperature, but otherwise, let it be. Can I bake this cornbread in the oven? You sure can! Just be sure your oven is fully preheated to 400° before you put the cornbread in. Made it? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
