This BBQ Companion Bake is my go-to when I want the whole house to smell cozy and welcoming right before company walks in. It’s just five ingredients, bakes up tender in the middle with a glistening caramelized top, and slides right next to anything coming off the grill. The idea came from those old-fashioned church potluck casseroles—simple pantry staples, stirred together in a glass baking dish, then baked until the top turns deep golden and sticky around the edges.
Serve this bake hot, straight from the glass dish while it’s still steaming and the top is caramelized. It’s wonderful alongside grilled chicken, pork chops, ribs, burgers, or sausages. Add a crisp green salad or coleslaw and some corn on the cob or roasted vegetables to round out the meal. For a backyard get-together, I like to set the dish on a trivet right on the table so everyone can scoop a big spoonful next to their BBQ plate.
BBQ Companion Tender BakeServings: 6
Ingredients
1 (15-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (15-ounce) can creamed corn
1 (8.5-ounce) box cornbread mix (such as Jiffy)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a square 8x8-inch glass baking dish so the edges caramelize but don’t stick too hard.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the drained whole kernel corn and the creamed corn until evenly combined.
Sprinkle the dry cornbread mix over the corn mixture. Gently fold everything together just until no big dry pockets remain; don’t overmix or the bake can get tough.
Pour in the melted butter and stir until the batter is thick, glossy, and the corn is evenly distributed. It will be looser than traditional cornbread batter—that’s what keeps the interior tender.
Scrape the mixture into the prepared glass baking dish, smoothing it into an even layer with a spatula so it bakes uniformly.
Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the entire surface of the batter, making sure you reach all the way to the corners. This sugar layer is what melts and bubbles into that glistening, caramelized top crust.
Place the dish on the middle rack and bake for 35–45 minutes, or until the top is deeply golden, bubbling around the edges, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with just a few moist crumbs.
Remove from the oven and let the bake rest for at least 10 minutes. It will be very hot and steamy inside; this short rest helps it set while keeping the middle tender. Serve warm, scooping with a large spoon so everyone gets some of the caramelized top and soft center.
Variations & Tips
For extra BBQ flavor, you can whisk 2–3 tablespoons of your favorite thick barbecue sauce into the melted butter before stirring it into the batter; it will deepen the color and add a subtle smoky-sweet note. If your crowd likes a little heat, sprinkle a pinch of cayenne or a few red pepper flakes into the batter. For cheese lovers, you can fold in 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar, but note this will add a sixth ingredient and make it richer. Picky eaters who don’t love visible kernels can lightly mash the whole kernel corn with a fork before mixing so the texture is softer. To keep the top from over-browning in especially hot ovens, tent the dish loosely with foil during the last 10 minutes of baking, then remove it for the final 5 minutes so the crust can finish caramelizing. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat thoroughly until steaming hot before serving. Because this recipe contains dairy and eggs from the cornbread mix, don’t leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours—especially at warm outdoor gatherings. Always use oven mitts when handling the hot glass dish, and set it on a dry towel or trivet (not a cold or wet surface) to prevent the glass from cracking.
