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Skillet Ham and Cheddar Cornbread

This cheesy Skillet Ham and Cheddar Cornbread is filled with cubed ham, sweet corn, tangy green onions and cheddar cheese turning it into a meal in itself. It’s ideal for dressing up a bowl of beans, soup or stew and you’ll find the flavor combination to be a tasty twist on traditional cornbread. The skillet lends itself to a crisp and golden crust that makes it hard to resist.

Iron Skillet Ham And Cheddar Cornbread

Easy Skillet Ham and Cheddar Cornbread Recipe

I have a 10-inch cast iron skillet that my Mom gave to me several years ago. It’s perfect for making cornbread like this ham, cheese and corn filled skillet cornbread. I came across my skillet while sorting through my cabinets recently and after one look it was obvious, that it needed a little TLC.  So, I set about to bring my skillet back to life. Cast iron skillets need to be used and kept “seasoned.” New cast iron skillets have been pre-seasoned during manufacturing, but, if you’re as fortunate as I am, to have been gifted a “hand me down” skillet you may need to bring it back to life. You can read more about seasoning cast iron on the Lodge Cast Iron website here. How to make Ham and Cheese Cornbread:

  • Cornmeal – Plain white cornmeal. You could use plain yellow cornmeal, too.
  • Flour – Plain all purpose flour.
  • Fats – Solid vegetable shortening for the skillet and vegetable oil for the batter.
  • Leavening – Baking powder and salt.
  • Seasonings – Granulated sugar, onion powder and garlic powder.
  • Milk – Buttermilk, low fat is fine.
  • Eggs – 2 large eggs.
  • Mix-ins – Diced ham, corn and green onions.
  • Cheese – Shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
step-by-step images and ingredients to make cornbread

Iron Skillet Ham and Cheddar Cornbread

After researching how to re-season my skillet successfully, I was chomping at the bit to give it a whirl. I decided to bake a batch of ham and cheddar cornbread to use some delectable ham I had in the freezer. If you’ve never cooked in cast iron, you’re really in for a treat. Food actually tastes different when cooked in cast iron. Having my cast iron skillet back in circulation not only for making cornbread but also, main dish meals like my Nacho Beef Rotini Skillet and desserts like Apple Pie and more.

  • Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Skillet Ham and Cheddar Cornbread: Plain white cornmeal, all purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, buttermilk, vegetable oil, vegetable shortening, large eggs, shredded cheddar cheese, whole kernel corn, cubed ham and chopped green onions.
  • Kitchen gadgets you’ll need: A 10 inch cast iron skillet or similar size oven safe skillet, mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons, cheese grater, sharp knife and cutting board.
  • You can bake this cornbread in a similar size oven safe skillet or baking dish.
  • You can store leftover Ham and Cheddar cornbread chilled in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Reheat in the microwave in single serving portions.
  • You can use another flavor of cheese in the same amount. Use Swiss cheese, Asiago, Colby or Mozzarella cheese. Cheddar is always in my fridge and works extremely well with the ham.
  • You can also freeze this cornbread after baking and cooling. Wrap in freezer wrap and store for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Iron Skillet Ham And Cheddar Cornbread

More Southern Style Cornbread Recipes to Make

Cornbread ties with biscuits as the beloved house breads of the South. More cornbread recipes you may also like to try:

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

Skillet Ham and Cheddar Cornbread

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Resting time5 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Bread, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: iron-skillet-ham-cheddar-cornbread
Servings: 8 pieces
Calories: 414kcal
Author: Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp solid vegetable shortening
  • 1 cup plain white cornmeal
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 3 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup small diced ham
  • 1 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
  • 1 cup whole kernel sweet corn
  • 4 chopped green onions

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place 2 tablespoons of solid vegetable shortening into a 10 inch cast iron skillet and set it into the oven to preheat and melt the shortening.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, sift together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, garlic and onion powders.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, vegetable oil and eggs until combined.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix together until all of the dry ingredients are fully moistened.
  • Next, add ham, 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, corn and green onions to the batter. Mix well.
  • Remove the skillet from the oven and swirl the melted shortening around the pan coating the bottom and sides completely. Discard any excess.
  • Pour the batter into the hot skillet and spread evenly. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese on top.
  • Place into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
  • Rest for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes

The process of preheating the cast iron skillet gives the cornbread an incredibly crunchy and delicious crust. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, you can use a square 8×8 inch baking dish or a deep dish 9 inch pie plate.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 414kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 685mg | Potassium: 426mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 477IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 295mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @melissassk or tag #melissassk!

33 Comments

    1. I’m glad you enjoyed this cornbread. Sure, you can use regular milk, just add a Tbsp of lemon juice or white vinegar to the milk first, and that will convert it to buttermilk.

  1. I have found lard on the very bottom shelf in the baking aisle, under the shortening and oils. Comes in a 1# box or a bigger bucket.

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