Grilled Southern-Style Cornbread
By Morgan BollingPublished on June 17, 2025
Time
1 hour, plus 20 minutes cooling
Yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
Before You Begin
We prefer lard here, but you can substitute bacon fat or butter. If using butter, use 8 tablespoons, melted and cooled, in the batter in step 4, and use 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in step 2 when preheating the skillet. We recommend fine- or medium-ground cornmeal here; do not use coarse-ground. For the best results, weigh the cornmeal, as grind size can affect measurements. If preferred, in step 3 instead of cooking the cornmeal mixture on the grill, you can do it inside in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. You can use an 8- by 8-inch disposable aluminum pan in place of the cast-iron skillet here for easier clean up.
Instructions
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter mounded with charcoal briquettes (7 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour into steeply banked pile against 1 side of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high; cover; and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burner(s). Adjust primary burner as needed to maintain grill temperature of 400 to 450 degrees; if using 3-burner grill adjust primary burner and second burner.
- Meanwhile, whisk 1 cup cornmeal, ¾ cup (3¾ ounces/106 grams) all-purpose flour, 2½ tablespoons sugar, 1½ teaspoons table salt, 1¼ teaspoons baking powder, and ¾ teaspoon baking soda together in medium bowl.
- Place 1 tablespoon lard in 10-inch cast-iron skillet and set on cooler side of grill. Whisk 1 cup buttermilk and remaining ½ cup cornmeal together in medium grill-safe saucepan. Cook, whisking frequently, over hot side of grill until thickened to batter-like consistency (whisk will leave channel in bottom of bowl that slowly fills in), 3 to 6 minutes.
- Transfer cornmeal mixture to large bowl and whisk in melted lard until smooth, then whisk in remaining ¾ cup buttermilk until evenly combined. Whisk in 2 large eggs until combined. Fold in flour mixture until thoroughly combined.
- Using pot holders, remove cast-iron skillet from grill and gently swirl to evenly coat pan with lard. Carefully transfer batter to skillet, smooth top with spatula, and return skillet to cooler side of grill. Cover grill and cook until top begins to crack, sides are golden brown, and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating skillet halfway through cooking.
- Let cornbread cool in skillet for 5 minutes. Using pot holders, carefully turn cornbread out of skillet onto wire rack, then gently flip cornbread right side up onto rack. Let cool 15 minutes longer. Serve.
Time
1 hour, plus 20 minutes coolingYield
Serves 8Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
To make a deeply corn-flavored cornbread with just the right balance of moist and crumbly while cooking outside, we treated our grill like an outdoor oven. Cooking some of the cornmeal with buttermilk hydrated the starches, forming a thick, porridge-like base that locked in moisture and kept the finished bread tender, not dry. A hot cast-iron skillet gave the cornbread crisp, golden edges, while a rich dose of melted lard added savory depth (though butter or bacon fat work just as well). We kept the sweetness restrained, letting the corn shine through in this all-purpose loaf that’s just as suited to slathering with butter as it is to sopping up sauce.
Before You Begin
We prefer lard here, but you can substitute bacon fat or butter. If using butter, use 8 tablespoons, melted and cooled, in the batter in step 4, and use 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in step 2 when preheating the skillet. We recommend fine- or medium-ground cornmeal here; do not use coarse-ground. For the best results, weigh the cornmeal, as grind size can affect measurements. If preferred, in step 3 instead of cooking the cornmeal mixture on the grill, you can do it inside in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. You can use an 8- by 8-inch disposable aluminum pan in place of the cast-iron skillet here for easier clean up.
Instructions
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter mounded with charcoal briquettes (7 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour into steeply banked pile against 1 side of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high; cover; and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burner(s). Adjust primary burner as needed to maintain grill temperature of 400 to 450 degrees; if using 3-burner grill adjust primary burner and second burner.
- Meanwhile, whisk 1 cup cornmeal, ¾ cup (3¾ ounces/106 grams) all-purpose flour, 2½ tablespoons sugar, 1½ teaspoons table salt, 1¼ teaspoons baking powder, and ¾ teaspoon baking soda together in medium bowl.
- Place 1 tablespoon lard in 10-inch cast-iron skillet and set on cooler side of grill. Whisk 1 cup buttermilk and remaining ½ cup cornmeal together in medium grill-safe saucepan. Cook, whisking frequently, over hot side of grill until thickened to batter-like consistency (whisk will leave channel in bottom of bowl that slowly fills in), 3 to 6 minutes.
- Transfer cornmeal mixture to large bowl and whisk in melted lard until smooth, then whisk in remaining ¾ cup buttermilk until evenly combined. Whisk in 2 large eggs until combined. Fold in flour mixture until thoroughly combined.
- Using pot holders, remove cast-iron skillet from grill and gently swirl to evenly coat pan with lard. Carefully transfer batter to skillet, smooth top with spatula, and return skillet to cooler side of grill. Cover grill and cook until top begins to crack, sides are golden brown, and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating skillet halfway through cooking.
- Let cornbread cool in skillet for 5 minutes. Using pot holders, carefully turn cornbread out of skillet onto wire rack, then gently flip cornbread right side up onto rack. Let cool 15 minutes longer. Serve.
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