Loaded Smoked Cornbread with Cheese and Green Chiles

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This smoked cornbread is loaded with diced green chiles, creamed corn, and cheddar cheese, and cooked on the Traeger pellet grill for a delicious smoky flavor! If you’re looking for a moist and tender grilled cornbread recipe that has the perfect crispy “fried” crust, then try our favorite loaded smoked cornbread!

Here’s my issue with cornbread… it’s usually dry and bland, unless you cover it in honey and butter. And the crumbly texture of the traditional yellow cornbread just isn’t for me.

But this smoked cornbread is loaded with cheddar cheese, diced green chiles, and creamed corn, and it is fantastic!

I’ve always said that “a grill is just an oven with flavor”, and by cooking your favorite cornbread recipe in a cast iron skillet on the pellet grill or smoker, the dish takes on a smoky goodness that you just can’t get in the oven.

Here’s how to make our favorite loaded cornbread recipe on the pellet grill:

What is Smoked Cornbread?

Smoked cornbread is basically just your favorite regular cornbread recipe that gets cooked on a grill or smoker instead of in a conventional oven. The cornbread takes on another dimension of flavor, thanks to the smokiness of the grill.

Most smoked cornbread recipes are made in a cast iron skillet, which is perfect for cooking directly on the grill grates.

The result is a moist, tender cornbread with a crispy golden crust and smoky aroma that pairs perfectly with a wide range of dishes, from barbecue meats to chili and soups.

Ingredients for Green Chile Cheddar Cheese Cornbread

Here are the ingredients for our favorite loaded smoked cornbread with diced green chiles, cheddar cheese, and creamed corn:

• self-rising buttermilk cornmeal – The type of cornmeal that you use is very important for this recipe. Because the recipe doesn’t include any added baking soda or baking powder, you need to use self-rising cornmeal. We prefer the buttermilk-style cornmeal for this loaded cornbread recipe instead of the traditional yellow cornmeal.
• buttermilk
• sour cream
• creamed corn
• diced green chiles
• shredded cheddar cheese – Or experiment with different cheeses if you like. Shredded pepper jack cheese would also be great in this recipe!
• egg
• sugar
• salt

How to Make Smoked Cornbread on the Pellet Grill

This smoked cornbread recipe is super easy to make on the Traeger or other pellet grill! If you can make homemade cornbread in the oven, then you can make it on the smoker. Here’s how to do it:

Make the Loaded Cornbread Mixture

Start by adding all the wet ingredients to large mixing bowl. Mix the wet ingredients until they’re completely incorporated, and then add in the dry ingredients.

Mix all of the loaded green chile and cheese cornbread ingredients together, just until incorporated. Don’t over mix your cornbread batter or the texture may be not as light and fluffy.

The cornbread mixture should look like this:

Prepare the Cast Iron Skillet

The main benefit of cooking your smoked cornbread in a cast iron skillet is the crispy crust that you get! When done correctly, you can actually “fry” the edges of your cornbread in the oiled skillet, so you have a tender and moist bread with a perfectly crispy crust.

To do this, you’ll need to preheat your cast iron skillet on the grill or in the oven. I just placed my seasoned cast iron skillet on the Traeger pellet grill as it was heating up, but you can also turn on the conventional oven or toaster oven to heat your skillet.

Then, when the skillet is hot, add a few tablespoons of ghee, shortening, or a high heat cooking oil. I used ghee in the photo down below, but I have also made this recipe with avocado oil.

Smoke the Cornbread on the Grill or Smoker

Add the cornbread mixture to the prepared cast iron skillet on the grill. As you’re adding the batter, you should notice that it starts to fry in the hot oil – that’s what you want!

Just spread the loaded cornbread mixture in the skillet in an even layer like this:

Then close the grill lid and cook for about 25-30 minutes on the 400°F grill, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the smoked cornbread comes out clean.

Here’s our finished cornbread before I took it off the Traeger:

How to Store Leftover Cornbread

Allow the cornbread to cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Store it in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply pop it in the microwave for a few seconds or warm it in the oven.

Don’t forget to PIN this smoked cornbread recipe to save it for later:

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