Rich, Comforting Monte Cristo Skillet
This Monte Cristo Skillet recipe flips the classic, dipped sandwich into a simple, shareable skillet bake. Using cast iron ensures you still get those crisp, buttery edges while the inside stays rich, custardy, and loaded with savory meats!
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ✅ Recipe Name: Rich, Comforting Monte Cristo Skillet
- 🕐 Ready In: 55
- 👥 Serves: 8
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Martha White Cotton Country Cornbread Mix, cooking spray, chopped cooked turkey, chopped cooked ham, shredded Swiss cheese, eggs, milk, mayonnaise, honey mustard, salt, pepper, currant jelly, powdered sugar
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: You'll love this Monte Cristo Skillet recipe because it's part lunch, part breakfast, part sandwich, part dessert, and all the way good! There's no bad time to whip this up.
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A Humble, Award-Winning Brunch Favorite!
This Monte Cristo Skillet was the Grand Prize Winner of the 2006 National Cornbread Festival. It caught my eye because I recently had my very first Monte Cristo Sandwich and absolutely loved it. Southern Living sent me to Charleston to do some presentations for the Taste of Charleston Festival. Have you ever been to Charleston? Oh my goodness gracious, is that a beautiful town! With every sight and sound, I became more determined to bring my family back there someday so I could experience it with them (it is hard to enjoy a trip without the folks you want to share it with beside you).
As I’ve started traveling from time to time, I’ve taken a cue from my adventurous counterparts at SL and started making it a point to try something new in each place if possible. In Charleston, I had my first Monte Cristo Sandwich, and it was right up my alley. I ate it in the cafe of a beautiful hotel right downtown. The flavors were a unique combination for me: Ham, cheese, battered and toasted bread drizzled with a sweet fruit preserve and sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar. It was part lunch, part breakfast, part sandwich, part dessert, and all the way good!
So when Martha White offered to guest post, I got nosing around for what recipe I thought would appeal the most to everyone, and as soon as this skillet came before my eyes, my heart just settled on it. This recipe is quick to throw together and feeds six people. I like strawberry preserves with mine, but feel free to use whichever you like best.
What You’ll Need to Make the Monte Cristo Skillet:
- Martha White Cotton Country Cornbread Mix
- cooking spray
- chopped cooked turkey
- chopped cooked ham
- shredded Swiss cheese
- eggs
- milk
- mayonnaise
- honey mustard
- salt
- pepper
- currant jelly
- powdered sugar
How to Make a Monte Cristo Skillet
1. Bake and Cube the Cornbread
Whip up your cornbread mix according to the box directions, but bake it right in your 10 1/2 inch cast-iron skillet.
Because the pan is wide, the cornbread will turn out thin, which keeps the final dish from feeling too heavy. Once it’s done, pop it out to cool for a few minutes, then slice it into bite-sized cubes.
2. Build the Layers
Set your oven to 350°F. Wipe any loose crumbs out of your skillet with a paper towel and hit it with a good spray of non-stick oil. Drop those cornbread cubes right back into the bottom of the pan, then layer your turkey, ham, and cheese evenly over the top.
3. Whisk the Egg Mixture
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, mayonnaise, a tablespoon of mustard, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk until it’s completely smooth, then pour it evenly over everything in the skillet so the cornbread can start soaking up that savory custard.
4. Bake Until Golden
Pop the skillet in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the center is completely set, and the cheese on top is melted and lightly browned.
5. Whisk the Sauce and Serve
While that’s going, warm your currant jelly slightly in a small bowl until it loosens up. Whisk in a tablespoon of honey mustard until smooth.
Slice the hot skillet into wedges, hit it with a quick dust of powdered sugar, and serve it warm with that sweet-and-tangy jelly sauce on top or on the side!
Ingredients
- 1 6 oz. package Martha White® Cotton CountryTM Cornbread Mix
- Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
- 1-1/2 cups chopped cooked turkey
- 1/2 cup chopped cooked ham
- 1-1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons honey mustard divided
- 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup Smucker’s® Currant Jelly
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the cornbread mix according to package directions, except bake in a 10 1/2-inch cast iron skillet (cornbread will be thin). Remove cornbread from skillet; cool and cut into cubes. Wipe out skillet with paper towels; spray generously with no-stick cooking spray.
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Place cornbread cubes in skillet. Top with turkey, ham and cheese. In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon mustard, salt and pepper until well blended. Pour evenly over ingredients in skillet. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until set and lightly browned.
- Melt currant jelly by warming slightly. Add 1 tablespoon honey mustard; whisk to blend.
- Remove skillet from oven. Cut in wedges, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with currant jelly and mustard sauce.
I have several cast iron skillets that I use often, but my favorite is one that belonged to my Mom. She made many-a delicious meal with it, It was washed after each use, but never put away. It always sat on the top of the stove, ready for the next use. Nothing cooks like a good ole iron frying pan!
Looks so yummy, Christy….and I’ve had cast iron skillets since we first
got married almost 40 years ago. After leaving for the weekend we returned
to find our hgh school aged senior placing the skillet in the dishwasher, and he couldn’t figure out why it turned orange!! But that came off with a good clean and we are still using it.
Love the cake pops ad. I’ve bought those and would love to get that for my
grand-daughters, they love them too!! 🙂
I don’t think we get that version of Martha White’s cornbread mix here in Texas. I’ll look next time I’m at the store.
I have two cast iron skillets that are used a lot. The little one is used to make cornbread for the two of us. I used to have my grandmother’s cornstick pan, but it is missing. Must have been when we moved or something.
My husband didn’t know about washing the skillet with soap and scrubbing the heck out of it. He knows now, bless his heart.
I have cast iron passed down from both my grandmothers. I have skillets in several different sizes (one is square), a griddle, dutch oven, corn stick pan and a muffin pan. They are treasures I would not part with. My husband and I do not share the same preferences for cornbread so when I bake it (usually when having pinto beans) I make one skillet the tried and tested Martha White Recipe and the other skillet with a bit of sugar added to the batter so he can have his sweet. It is always a joy to turn over tha skillet of cornbread and have it drop right out of the skillet.
What fond memories this brings back with my grandmothers. I was raised by my fraternal grandmother. There are several which I use for cornbread, upside down cake, chicken, good fresh fish from the cabin on the lake and of course the dutch oven which has held pot roasts, chili,etc.. My favorite is no longer useable as it had a copper patch in the bottom and finally cracked open. My grandmother Grayson was born in 1893 and this skillet belonged to her mother. Yes I surely have a soft spot for these skillets and the memories that return with every use.
Christy, PLEASE do a post on cast iron skillets!! A true dummy’s version in fact. My mother had one when I was growing up, but we always scrubbed it each time with steal wool to keep it clean. I hated using it because food always stuck so bad to it and it was so hard to clean. It also liked to rust, which is another reason we scrubbed it each time. Years later, I had someone give me a couple cast iron fry pans, which I ended up giving away because I didn’t want to deal with the rust and sticking food like my mother did.
I’ve since heard that you’re suppose to season them, but I have no idea how to do this. Nor do I know how to cook with one or how to care for (clean and store) them. Also, why do people like to keep one only for bread and one only for chicken, etc.?
I would love to learn, but have no idea where to start, (and how long does it take to get it seasoned and cooking correctly?). So like I said, a real dummy’s version would be great. I’m sure I’m not the only one out here who is ignorant on using cast iron.
Here’s my instructions for curing cast iron. I love mine, use it all the time. My set has wooden handles that screw into the pan(s) and can be removed to use the pan(s) in the oven then screwed back in to remove the hot pan.
Never saw another set like it and it’s great.
NOTHING does fried chicken like cast iron!
* Prepare your pan by scrubbing it with hot soapy water, ensuring there is no food residue or rust, and dry it completely.
* Warm the pan up slightly, and apply a coat of melted shortening to the inside and outside. Liquid cooking oils are not recommended.
* Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and put your cookware in upside right, on a foil-covered cooking sheet, to catch any drips. If you use a non-covered baking sheet, it will require a good scrub afterwards – the foil saves on the cleanup.
* Bake for approximately 20 minutes. If it starts to smoke, reduce the temperature by 10-15 degrees until it stops. This may increase the time by a few minutes, but will not hurt the cure.
* Drain off any excess grease, and put the pan back in the oven, this time upside down, for 1 to 3 hours. A re-seasoning may only require half of that time.
* Turn the oven off, and let the pan cool down naturally before removing it.
Thank you LadyJane!! I’m like Vikki & several others. I’ve got 4 cast iron skillet in varying sizes that have been passed down, that just sit in the oven drawer! I just printed out your instructions & will carry them out! Thanks again!
I do have a complete seasoning tutorial on sp If y’all need it!
Im with Vikki— I want a Cast Iron Skillet class for dummies. Don’t assume we know ANYTHING. I am so scared of cast iron skillets for some reason. Someone gave me an iron skillet for a wedding present and it is slick coated on the inside though. Will it still work like a cast iron skillet? I still have to spray it with pam…its not totally non stick. ANway, I digress…just want a cast iron tutorial, please. 🙂
I’ll put that at the top of my list and try to get a complete post done for ya soon as I’m able!
Gratefully
Christy
YES!!! Please, Christy!! vikki’s experience with cast iron mirrors mine exactly and I would really like to take mine out of the closet and use then. They have a soapy smell that gets worse when they get warm, everything sticks and they are probably rusty now too.
Oh Yeah! Thank You Vikki. I am another women that was brought up on the cast iron cooking but I have to idea on seasoning a cast iron and I have wanted to learn the talents of cooking in a dutch oven and cast iron. Its one thing to respect the seasoned cast tion but another to know the proper way to season it correctly. Any help would be appreciated. Love you Christy.
I don’t use much of anything other than cast iron! I have a chicken fryer, all sizes of frying pans, and several dutch ovens. When I pull out the little dutch oven, the kids get excited because they know that I only make cobblers in it! Most of my iron is way older than I am!