Grill Your Next Skillet Brownie On Charcoal For Incredible Smoky Flavor

Nothing imparts flavor quite like baking a bourbon pecan brownie or a double fudge brownie over an open fire on a charcoal grill. While it might be intimidating if you have never tried it, you will find the smoky taste the grilling process imparts on your chewy, chocolate-baked good can be incredibly satisfying. To do this technique, you are going to use the same ingredients you would for brownies baked in the oven. 

However, baking your treats over hot charcoal isn't for a day when you are feeling rushed or short on time. This baking technique requires a little patience and vigilance. The first step is preheating your charcoal grill. Briquettes are good to use because they will keep an accurate and consistent heat which is important for an even bake. Once they're lit and have turned gray, place them in the bottom of your grill and push them to one side. 

The internal temperature of your charcoal grill should be hovering between 350 degrees Fahrenheit and 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In order to achieve that smoky flavor, you will want to use a baking trick for making brownies outdoors which involves indirect heat. This is going to be the side of the grates that don't have any coal underneath it and where you want to place your skillet. 

You can add woodchips to your charcoal fire if you want to enhance the smoky flavor but remember, the goal is not to overwhelm your brownies with smoke but to give them just enough smokiness so it complements the chocolatey sweetness. A handful of cherry wood chips is all you need to accomplish this. If you want a nutty-tasting smoke, consider using pecan wood chips or apple wood chips for fruity and mild smoke. 

Once you've mixed your ingredients and melted a pat of butter in your cast iron skillet to coat the bottoms and sides so your brownie doesn't stick when it bakes, pour the batter into it. Place your pan on the grill, put the grill top on, and let your brownies cook for about 40 to 45 minutes. You should periodically check on its progress so it doesn't burn. Use a wooden skewer to test if it is done by inserting it into the center of the baking brownie. It should come out with moist but not wet crumbs on it.

To make certain your skillet brownies come out soft and chewy, you are going to want to keep an eye on its cooking progress. If you cook it too long, it will turn dry and tough, and no amount of smokiness is going to correct that. On the flip side, if you find them to be gooier than expected when you remove them from the heat, you can cut them up, place them in an airtight container and allow them to chill. This will help to produce that subtle chewiness that everyone knows and loves. 

If you are worried that grilling brownies in your skillet is going to cause harm to your pan, you could use a disposable baking pan instead. This will ease your concerns about ruining your skillet, and it will definitely make clean-up easier. When your chocolatey treats are done, let them set for a few minutes before serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and then digging in.