Dutch Oven Cornbread - Camping Recipe by Fresh off the Grid (2024)

ByFresh Off The GridUpdated

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Featuring green chiles and sharp cheddar cheese, this Dutch oven cornbread recipe takes camp comfort food to the next level.

Dutch Oven Cornbread - Camping Recipe by Fresh off the Grid (1)

Cornbread is one of our favorite autumn camping foods. Usually, we make it using our campfire skillet cornbread technique, but if we want a nice crisp on the top of the bread, then it’s time to fire up the Dutch oven. Nothing bakes cornbread to golden perfection like a Dutch oven!

This recipe is super simple to pull together. At home, you can mix together the dry ingredients and store them in a sealable container or baggie.

Then, in camp, while you prepare your coals, you mix the dry ingredients with some milk, an egg, and a bit of honey.

Dutch Oven Cornbread - Camping Recipe by Fresh off the Grid (2)
Dutch Oven Cornbread - Camping Recipe by Fresh off the Grid (3)

While we love a slice of plain cornbread with a bowl of chili, there are countless ways to upgrade cornbread to make it something unique.

One iteration we’ve been playing around with is a spicy green chile and cheddar cheese cornbread. This might not please the cornbread purists in the audience, but we are not opposed to dressing our cornbread on certain occasions…

One such occasion is the autumn chile harvest. Towards the end of the summer, tons of green chiles are harvested throughout the southwest and distributed all over the country – the most famous being the Hatch Chile harvest.

If you can get your hands on some fresh Hatch chiles, consider yourself lucky. But if you’re a little late, there are still plenty of canned and frozen options you can pick up from your local grocery store.

The result is a spicy, cheesy cornbread with a lightly browned top that is perfect for pairing with a hearty bowl of brisket chili, black bean chili, or one of these Southern cast iron skillet recipes on your next fall camping trip.

Dutch Oven Cornbread - Camping Recipe by Fresh off the Grid (4)

Hands down, the most versatile piece of camp cookware we own is aDutch oven. This piece of equipment opens up a whole new world of cooking options: you can cook stews, bake lasagna, braise chicken, and of course, make this cornbread recipe! It can be used on a camp stove or directly over the fire.

The short legs and rimmed lid allow you to place embers/coals on top as well as underneath, cooking your meal from both directions. Learn everything you need to know about Dutch oven cooking here!

More Dutch oven recipes

  • Dutch Oven Chili
  • Campfire Nachos
  • Dutch Oven Marbella
  • Dutch Chili Mac
  • Dutch Oven Pizza

Dutch Oven Cornbread - Camping Recipe by Fresh off the Grid (5)

Dutch Oven Cornbread with Green Chiles

This Dutch oven cornbread is loaded with green chiles and cheese for extra flavor!

Author: Fresh Off The Grid

4.60 from 22 ratings

Pin Save Rate

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

6 slices

Ingredients

  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • ½ cup flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 (4 oz) can green chiles, drained
  • ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

  • Light 24 charcoal briquettes or start a campfire if you want to use wood embers.

  • In a mixing bowl, beat the milk, egg, and honey together. Add the dry ingredients (cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt) and stir until combined.

  • Move 7 of the charcoals or embers into a ring and place the Dutch oven on top. Once hot, add the butter to melt. After the butter has melted, pour in the cornmeal batter. Sprinkle the green chiles and cheese over the top.

  • Cover the Dutch oven and place the remaining 17 charcoals or embers on top of the lid to create an oven heat of about 425 degrees. Cook for about 20 minutes, until the middle of the cornbread has cooked through and the top is beginning to brown.

  • Carefully remove from the heat, serve & enjoy!

Notes

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

Mixing bowl
Spoon or whisk
Measuring cups + spoons
10-inch Dutch oven + lid
Lid lifter and/or heatproof gloves
Metal tongs or shovel for moving coals

Nutrition (Per Serving)

Calories: 308kcal

*Nutrition is an estimate based on information provided by a third-party nutrition calculator

Side Dish

American

Print This Recipe

Fresh Off The Grid

Megan & Michael are the creators of Fresh Off The Grid, a blog dedicated to helping you fuel your adventures by sharing camp cooking recipes, backpacking meals, and outdoor travel guides. Their recipes and outdoor cooking expertise have been featured in Backpacker Magazine, Outside, REI Co-Op Journal, Food & Wine, and New York Times Cooking.

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  1. I would like to make this at home. How should I adapt it for my oven?

    Reply

    1. Make the batter the same, pour it into a bread pan or Dutch oven without covering, place in a 350-degree oven. Now, we’re not positive about the time, because we haven’t’ tried this method before, but I’d suspect probably 18-20 minutes. Keep an eye on it.

      Reply

  2. Will you get the same results in a 12″ or are there adjustments needed? Thank you.

    Reply

    1. If using a 12″ Dutch oven, you will want to x1.5 the recipe or even x2.

      Reply

  3. What size dutch oven did you use for this amount? I have a 12″ dutch oven and want to scale this up to fill it; I was thinking about doing 1.5 more, maybe double batch.

    Reply

    1. We used a 10″ 4 quart Dutch oven. If you have a 12″, then you will want to scale it up at least 1.5, but double will probably work as well.

      Reply

  4. Yum!!!! Had it on the side with some trout and was delicious. We used the recommended amount of coals and after checking with our thermal thermometer- the temperatures were pretty spot on! Would definitely try this again!Dutch Oven Cornbread - Camping Recipe by Fresh off the Grid (6)

    Reply

    1. Anna Lisa – so glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Good call checking the temp using the thermal thermometer; Dutch oven cooking is definitely an imperfect science so it’s always good to double check the temp!

      Reply

  5. Delicious!! Just made this in a Dutch oven on the stovetop in my house, using low heat. Eventually I turned it up to 2-3 for a bit at the end (still feeling out exact temperatures, but it worked great! Thanks!

    FYI- used chipotle cheddar, highly recommend. Also, made it gluten free by subbing in gf all purpose flour blend for flour, and used 1 tsp of “Not xanthan not guar” (I’ve found that stuff to be a GAME changer in GF baking) Used 1 flax egg instead of egg, and almond milk for milk. A+!Dutch Oven Cornbread - Camping Recipe by Fresh off the Grid (7)

    Reply

  6. How many people would this serve? We have a big group of 10 people.

    Reply

    1. As written, this recipe makes 6 slices. You could double the recipe, but you would also need another 10″ Dutch oven. You could also try doubling the recipe and using one 12″ Dutch oven. Each slice will be thicker, but that should work too.

      Reply

Dutch Oven Cornbread - Camping Recipe by Fresh off the Grid (2024)

FAQs

How to cook with a Dutch oven while camping? ›

Dutch ovens can also be suspended over a campfire using a tripod, placed on a campfire cooking grate over a fire, or placed directly on top of embers. Depending on your stove, it is also possible to use a Dutch oven on a camp stove. Our Dutch oven's legs fit in between the grates covering our camp stove's range.

Can you put an enameled Dutch oven on a campfire? ›

Enameled cast–iron has a smooth, non-porous surface and can go from the stovetop, to the oven straight to the table. They should not be subjected to extremely high temperatures, so avoid using your enameled cast-iron dutch oven on a grill or in a campfire.

Is a Dutch oven worth it for camping? ›

Dutch ovens, like the Camp Chef Classic Dutch Oven, have been used for wilderness cooking for ages and are a wonderful way to cook nourishing food in the great outdoors. They retain heat and enhance the transfer of heat through the food.

What temperature is a camp Dutch oven? ›

Getting the temperature just right in your Dutch oven is perhaps the biggest learning curve of campfire cooking (especially after you've masted these other camping cooking tips). Most campfire Dutch oven recipes (especially those for baking) require a temp of 350°F.

What is a Dutch oven trick? ›

In that case, we recommend the infamous Dutch oven prank. For the uninitiated, a Dutch oven involves farting in bed, then quickly pulling up the sheets to trap your significant other with the smell. It's a decades-old trick that has surely ruined countless relationships, yet many dudes still dare to try it.

Why do camp Dutch ovens have legs? ›

Now look at the outdoor Dutch oven. It has legs that are designed to keep it just above coals, preventing direct contact with the heat and permitting oxygen to get to the coals. that are supposed to transfer juices back into roasts, basting the meat.

Why is a Dutch oven so special? ›

Bare cast-iron: Dutch ovens have stood the test of time for a reason: The material retains a consistent heat for a long period of time, which makes it perfect for cooking something low and slow.

How do I substitute a Dutch oven? ›

Roasting Pan: An Effective Dutch Oven Replacement

A roasting pan serves as an effective alternative to a Dutch oven, offering versatility in cooking various dishes. Its large size and high sides make it suitable for slow roasting, braising, and even baking different types of food.

How do you clean a Dutch oven after camping? ›

Simply rinse your Dutch oven with water, and while it's still wet, sprinkle some of Bar Keepers Friend Cleanser on the bottom of the pot or whatever spot you're trying to clean. Then, scrub the Dutch oven with a sponge using a circular motion. Finally, rinse and dry the pot completely.

Can you use a camp Dutch oven indoors? ›

The legs keep the pot up and over the hot coals below, while the rimmed lid holds hot coals above. A smooth bottomed Dutch oven with domed lid is designed for indoor use or you can place it on the cooking rack of a gas or charcoal grill.

How to properly cook with a Dutch oven? ›

Add ingredients to your dutch oven, then heat the dutch oven gradually on the stovetop or in the oven (according to your recipe). Dutch ovens retain heat well and don't often require high heat settings to cook effectively, so gradual heating can help you keep a close eye on cooking temperatures.

How do you season a camping Dutch oven? ›

Apply about one tablespoon of vegetable or seasoning oil to the Dutch oven. Using a clean cloth or paper towel, wipe the oil evenly all over the cast-iron surface. Use a second cloth to remove any excess, leaving only a thin layer of oil. For best results, the oil should be barely visible.

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