There’s something different about baked goods cooked over charcoal.
The subtle smoke flavor. The crispy golden edges. The way live-fire heat creates texture you simply can’t replicate in a kitchen oven.
In the latest episode of Sizzle & Smoke with Aaron Ehalt, we fired up the Spider Grills Huntsman™ to make smoked cornbread muffins using the NextLevel cooking system and Jealous Devil Chunx lump charcoal. Simple ingredients, clean charcoal flavor, and precise temperature control come together for a recipe that’s easy enough for weeknight cooking but impressive enough for your next backyard gathering.
https://youtu.be/G-NpK0vz9ak
Why Bake on the Huntsman™?
Most people think charcoal grills are just for steaks and burgers.
The Huntsman™ changes that.
With thick-walled construction, airtight airflow control, and integrated Venom® temperature technology, the Huntsman™ gives you stable oven-like cooking temperatures while still delivering authentic live-fire flavor. That makes it perfect for baking recipes like cornbread muffins, cobblers, pizzas, cinnamon rolls, and more.
For this cook, we set the grill to 350°F and let the Venom® controller maintain the temperature automatically while the muffins baked to perfection.
The Setup
For this recipe, we used:
- Spider Grills Huntsman™
- Spider Grills NextLevel Cooking System
- Jealous Devil Chunx Lump Charcoal
- Jealous Devil Boom Fire Starter
The NextLevel system helps create more indirect, even heat across the cooking surface, making it ideal for baking applications on a charcoal grill.
Ingredients
- ¾ Cup Sunrise Flour Mill cornmeal
- ¾ Cup Sunrise Flour Mill whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ Cup sugar
- ¾ Cup whole milk
- 1 egg (beaten)
- 2 Tbsp melted butter
Instructions
- Start the lump charcoal using a Jealous Devil Boom starter in the middle of the Huntsman™.
- Set the Venom® controller to 350°F.
- Close the lid and set the top vent to ¼ open.
- Mix the cornmeal and flour together.
- Add baking powder, salt, and sugar.
- Stir in the beaten egg and milk.
- Add melted butter and mix thoroughly.
- Pour the batter into a lined muffin tin using a ¼ cup measuring cup.
- Install the NextLevel cooking system and allow the grill to stabilize at 350°F.
- Place the muffin tin directly onto the grate.
- Bake for 25–35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Top with maple syrup, honey, or agave and serve warm.
Live-Fire Flavor Meets Everyday Cooking
One of the biggest advantages of the Huntsman™ is versatility.
You can sear steaks at high heat, run low-and-slow barbecue cooks for hours, or bake cornbread muffins with stable precision — all on the same charcoal grill.
That’s what makes the Huntsman™ different. It combines the simplicity of a kettle grill with the performance of a kamado, giving you more ways to cook over real fire without overcomplicating the process.
Watch the full episode now and try these smoked cornbread muffins on your next cook.
🔥 PITMASTER HIGHLIGHT: Aaron Ehalt
