Name: Grilled Fresh Cornbread with Charred Jalapeños and Cheddar
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Ingredients: 4 jalapeño chiles; 2 ears corn, husks and silk removed; 2¼ cups (11¼ ounces) cornmeal; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; ¾ teaspoon table salt; 1½ cups sour cream; ½ cup whole milk; ¼ cup vegetable oil; 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, divided; 2 large eggs; 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups), divided

Grilled Fresh Cornbread with Charred Jalapeños and Cheddar

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 23, 2025

Time

1 hour, plus 30 minutes cooling

Yield

Serves 6 to 8

Grilled Fresh Cornbread with Charred Jalapeños and Cheddar

Ingredients

4 jalapeño chiles 2 ears corn, husks and silk removed2¼ cups (11¼ ounces) cornmeal 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda ¾ teaspoon table salt 1½ cups sour cream ½ cup whole milk ¼ cup vegetable oil 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, divided2 large eggs 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups), divided

Before You Begin

Don’t use stone-ground cornmeal. You will need a 10-inch cast-iron skillet.

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 between 400 and 450 degrees; if using 3-burner grill, adjust primary burner and second burner.)

Clean and oil cooking grate. Grill 4 jalapeños and 2 ears corn, husks and silk removed, on hotter side of grill (covered if using gas), turning as needed, until jalapeños are blistered and charred in spots, 7 to 10 minutes, and corn is charred on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer jalapeños to cutting board and let cool slightly; stem, seed, and chop fine. Transfer corn to cutting board and let cool slightly; cut kernels from corn. (You should have about 1½ cups.)

Place 10-inch cast-iron skillet on hotter side of grill. Add 2¼ cups cornmeal and toast, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer cornmeal to large bowl. Return now-empty skillet to hot side of grill and cover. Whisk 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ¾ teaspoon table salt into cornmeal. Whisk in 1½ cups sour cream, ½ cup whole milk, ¼ cup vegetable oil, ¼ cup melted butter, and 2 large eggs until combined. Stir in jalapeños, corn, and 1½ cups shredded cheddar.

Uncover grill and quickly brush skillet with remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter. Quickly scrape batter into skillet and smooth top. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup shredded cheddar on top of batter. Place skillet on cooler side of grill and bake, covered, until top is golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 35 minutes, rotating skillet halfway through baking. Transfer skillet to wire rack and let cornbread cool for 30 minutes. Slice into wedges and serve.