Cast Iron Cornbread from 131 Main
This golden brown cast iron skillet cornbread is a nearly perfect copycat of the delicious appetizer served at the popular 131 Main restaurants in Charlotte, NC. A hint of savory cheese, sweet corn kernels and spicy green chiles are tucked under that gorgeous crispy cornbread top.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) butter room temperature
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 (15 oz) can of creamed corn
- 1 (4.5 oz) can of diced green chiles drained
- 1/2 cup shredded white cheddar cheese freshly grated from about 2 ounces of a brick
- 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese freshly grated from about 2 ounces of a brick
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Place one of the baking racks in the middle of your oven. Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven while it heats. Preheat the oven to 400°.
- While the oven preheats, prepare the batter. Add the butter and sugar to a large mixing bowl and mix them together with a wooden spoon. The butter should absorb the sugar.
- Lightly beat the eggs in a separate medium sized mixing bowl. Whisk in the creamed corn, chopped chiles, shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses.
- Add the egg mixture to the butter and mix. The batter may still be lumpy but you shouldn't see butter pieces larger than a green pea. Add the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt, and whisk together until just barely combined.
- Remove the hot skillet from the oven and coat it with cooking spray. Scrape in the batter. It should sizzle on contact and stay slightly mounded in the center, don't spread it out evenly just work quickly. Bake the cornbread until the top is golden brown and springs back when you gently press it, 35–45 minutes. Let it cool 10 minutes before serving straight out of the skillet.
Recipe Notes
Storage Note:
Do NOT try to store the baked cornbread in your cast iron skillet. Using the skillet for storage will ruin the seasoning. I made this mistake and had to re-season my skillet. As soon as it is cool, transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool completely and then wrap in aluminum foil and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.