Rustic Cast Iron Cornbread from the Campfire

Ingredients 0/12

Step 1

Get a cast iron chicken frying pan with a lid ready, along with a few iron S-hooks to keep the pan off the ground. Build a campfire and let it burn down until you have a nice bed of hot embers. Rake those coals to one side to create a flat spot.

Step 2

Grease the inside of your pan and its lid well with lard. Place the pan on some coals next to the fire to warm up for about 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, sift together the cornmeal, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Make a little well in the center and pour in the buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla. Stir it all just enough to combine—the batter should be a bit lumpy, so don’t overdo it.

Step 3

Check your pan to make sure the grease is hot and melted but not smoking. If it’s too hot, take it off the coals for a bit until it cools down. Once it’s ready, pour the batter into the pan and cover it with the lid.

Step 4

Create a thin layer of embers on the ground and use the S-hooks to lift the pan just above them so air can flow underneath. Then, pile about a third of the embers you used on the bottom onto the lid. Let the cornbread bake like this, lid on, without peeking, for about 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.