Skillet Cornbread Salad
20     45 minutes – 1 hour     Grill    
I use a skillet to help bake up the cornbread for this chunky layered cowboy salad.
The great thing about a cast iron skillet is that they can act as an extension of your grill. Just remember to plan for some extra time to allow the cast iron to warm up. Always have a hot mat and oven mitts, or gloves nearby.
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, divided
1½ cups yellow cornmeal
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1½ cups buttermilk
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups packed, torn romaine lettuce, divided
2 stalks celery, chopped, divided
1 tomato, chopped, divided
1 bell pepper, chopped, divided
1 red onion, chopped, divided
1 can pinto beans, drained, divided
1 can sweet corn kernels, drained, divided
2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
8 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled, divided
1 (1-ounce) package dry Ranch salad dressing mix
1 (16-ounce) sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
  1. Preheat the grill to medium heat (300°F-350°F).
  2. Place 2 tablespoons butter in a cast iron skillet on the grill and melt.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt.
  4. Add in buttermilk, remaining butter, and eggs, and pour the batter into the hot skillet.
  5. Place on the grill for 45 minutes - 1 hour, until bread is lightly browned, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool.
  6. Crumble the cooled cornbread and layer half in the bottom of a large trifle bowl.
  7. In layers, top with ½ the lettuce, ½ the celery, ½ the tomato, ½ the bell pepper, ½ the red onion, ½ the beans, ½ the corn, ½ the cheddar cheese, and ½ the crumbled bacon.
  8. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry Ranch dressing mix, sour cream, and mayonnaise. Top the salad with ½ the dressing.
  9. Add the remaining crumbled cornbread and repeat the layers, adding the remaining lettuce, remaining celery, remaining tomato, remaining bell pepper, remaining onion, remaining beans, remaining corn, remaining cheese, remaining bacon, and remaining dressing. Cover and chill for 2 hours before serving.
If under a time crunch, try substituting 1 (8½-ounce) box of corn muffin mix prepared by package directions, for the cornbread.