You don’t need to be intimidated about using your cast iron skillet outdoors.  Cast iron works perfectly on an outdoor grill.  So for the Independence Day holiday, why not put your cast iron skillet to the test and grill up some cast iron 4th of July favorites?

The wonderful thing about cast iron is that it can take the heat, so I regularly use my cast iron pans on my outdoor grill.  Your imagination is the only limit to what you can cook in a cast iron pan. Here are a few delicious recipes to round out your meal.

Cast Iron Spicy Roasted Red Potatoes

What goes perfectly with any kind of BBQ?  Why taters, of course! Chuck the boring, bland, potato salad– and opt for this spicy recipe instead.

2 lbs small red potatoes, quartered

1 large sweet onion, quartered and cut into half-moon rings

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon crushed fresh rosemary

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste

Method:  Place a 12-inch cast iron skillet on grill pre-heated to medium.  Close lid and allow skillet to heat for about 10 minutes, until very hot.  Add potatoes and onion to hot skillet and drizzle with olive oil.  Add herbs and seasonings.  Close lid and cook, stirring occasionally until potatoes are browned and cooked through, about 30-35 minutes.  Serves 6 hearty eaters!  CAUTION!  Cast iron skillet will be very hot!  Always use an oven mitt to handle hot cast iron.

Skillet Fried Corn

Sweet summer corn is the perfect complement to any 4th of July meal.  Here’s a new take on a traditional southern favorite.

6 large ears of fresh corn, shucked, and kernels cut off the cobs. (How-to here.)

3-4 strips of thick-cut bacon

1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and sliced

1 small green pepper, diced

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/4 teaspoon pepper or to taste

Method: Pre-heat grill to medium . Put a 10-inch skillet on the grill.  Add bacon slices and cook until crisp.  Remove bacon slices, reserving drippings.  Crumble bacon and set aside.  Add corn and all other ingredients.  Saute, stirring frequently until corn is cooked through, sizzling and beginning to brown.  Top with crumbled bacon and serve warm.  Serves 6.  CAUTION!  Cast iron skillet will be very hot!  Always use an oven mitt to handle hot cast iron.

Easiest Ever Blackberry Cobbler

Your 4th of July dessert should be something special–but easy enough for you to enjoy all the festivities, too!  Don’t have blackberries on hand?  Substitute peaches, raspberries, blueberries–or just go crazy and use all of them!

2 pints fresh blackberries

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 stick butter

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup whole milk

Vanilla ice cream for serving

Method:  Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet on the grill, pre-heated to medium.  In a bowl, toss blackberries with 2 tablespoons of flour.  Stir in half of the sugar and half of the brown sugar, lemon juice and nutmeg.  Put butter in cast iron skillet on grill.  Melt butter until it starts to sizzle and brown around the edges. (The butter must be sizzling hot!)  While the butter is melting, stir together remaining 1/2 cup of flour and remaining sugar, baking powder and salt.  Add milk and stir until a batter forms.  Batter will be lumpy and about the consistency of pancake batter.  Pour batter over sizzling butter in hot skillet.  Do not stir.  Immediately spoon blackberry mixture on top of batter.  Close grill lid and cook cobbler for about 30 minutes, until crisp and golden brown.  Remove from grill and allow to rest for about 15 minutes.  CAUTION!  Cast iron skillet will be very hot!  Always use an oven mitt to handle hot cast iron. Serve cobbler warm with vanilla ice cream, if desired.  Serves 6-8

Now you know just how easy it is to use your cast iron skillet on the grill.  So what are you waiting for…get grilling!