Lewis Barbecue Hatch Green Chile Corn Pudding

A homemade cast-iron skillet of Lewis Barbecue's famous Hatch green chile corn pudding recipe, featuring an overhead view of a crispy golden crust, melted cheese, green onions, and a scoop being lifted out with a wooden spatula.

Lewis Barbecue Hatch Green Chile Corn Pudding

Bring the legendary flavor of Charleston’s Lewis Barbecue straight to your kitchen with this official, restaurant-tested corn pudding recipe. Packed with smoky Hatch green chiles and pockets of melty sharp cheddar, this crowd-pleasing side dish balances a rich, custardy interior with signature crispy, caramelized edges. Using exclusive tips from pitmaster John Lewis, this showstopping Lowcountry favorite is surprisingly easy to replicate at home for your next backyard barbecue or holiday dinner table.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Southern, Southwestern

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 507kcal

Author Caroline Lindsey

Equipment

1 8 inch cast iron skillet see note

Ingredients

½ cup chopped roasted Hatch green chiles about 2 or 3 chiles (see note for sourcing and substitutions)
1 ½ cups frozen corn kernels or ½ lbs
3 large eggs
⅔ cup heavy cream
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup mild cheddar cheese cut into ½ in. cubes (see note)
¾ cup corn kernels freshly cut (about 1 ear of corn)
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup shredded mild cheddar cheese (see note)
2 green onions sliced (plus more for garnish, if desired)

Instructions

Roast the chiles, if starting from fresh. Roast the Hatch green chiles over a hot open flame until the skins blacken and separate (about 1-2 minutes each side.) Place the roasted chiles in a ziplock bag and allow them to steam in their own heat for 1 hour. Peel the skins and remove the seeds. Hand cut the chiles into ½ inch dice.
If using frozen or jarred chiles, drain in a sieve first. We don't want to add any extra liquid to the batter.
Preheat the skillet. Preheat the oven to 375°F with a medium (8”) cast iron pan on top of a sheet pan to catch any butter splatters. The skillet should stay in the oven until the batter is prepared to fully heat.
Prepare the corn. Defrost the frozen corn kernels. Spreading them out on a plate at room temperature will thaw them fairly quickly. Cut fresh kernels off the corn cob — this does not need to be cooked first.
Blend the batter. In a blender, combine the defrosted corn kernels, eggs, heavy cream, flour, yellow cornmeal, granulated sugar, kosher salt, baking powder, and garlic powder. Blend until homogeneous, about 5-8 seconds on high.
Add the mix-ins. Transfer wet mixture to a mixing bowl and fold in the diced Hatch green chiles, cubed mild cheddar cheese, green onions and fresh corn kernels with a spatula.
Brown the butter. Take the heated cast iron pan out of the oven and add the butter, which will quickly start sizzling and foaming. Pop it back in the oven for about one minute until milk solids are lightly toasted.
Add the batter. Quickly remove the pan from the oven once again and swirl the butter around the pan to fully coat the bottom and the sides. Pour the corn pudding batter right into the center of the hot cast iron pan with the foaming butter. Do not stir, as you don't want to incorporate the butter into the batter. Sprinkle the shredded mild cheddar cheese over the top of the batter, all the way to the edges, and return to the oven.
Bake and enjoy! Cook for 30 minutes at 375°F. The edges should be nicely browned and the pudding should be set (a minimum of 165F internal). If you give the pan a shake, it's okay to see a slight jiggle. Allow to rest for 5 minutes and serve.

Notes

Pan size

If you do not have an 8" cast iron skillet, you may use a 10" or 12" one instead. For a 10" skillet, multiply the batter by 1.5 (or make a standard batch and expect a slightly shallower pudding). For a 12" skillet, double the batter. Baking time should not be affected.

Sourcing Hatch green chiles

Best case: Buy a bunch of freshly roasted Hatch green chiles at your local grocery store between July and October and freeze to use throughout the year.

Fresh substitute: Use a blend of poblano and jalapeño peppers for a Hatch chile substitute, or poblano only if you don't want any heat. Follow the roasting directions in the recipe.

Jarred or frozen options: Look for jarred chiles (like Zia brand) next to the canned options in the Mexican food section of your grocery store, or head to the freezer aisle to look for Bueno brand frozen chiles. Lewis recommends avoiding canned varieties, which can impart an artificial taste.

For the cheddar

One 8-oz block of mild cheddar cheese should give you plenty for both the diced and shredded cheese.

Nutrition