Chicken & Hash Brown Cornflake Funeral Casserole – The Last Casserole of Hopsie Mae Brewster

Print the Recipe Here: https://beerandiron.com/chicken-hash-brown-cornflake-funeral-casserole/

Some recipes stay behind even when the cook is gone.

In this episode of Beer and Iron, Sulae shares the story of Hopsie Mae Brewster and her legendary funeral casserole.

What starts as a small-town legend about a beloved church cook and her cast iron Dutch oven turns into a comforting recipe you can make yourself—along with a steady-handed lesson in baking over coals. Along the way, you’ll hear about the mystery of one last casserole, the power of food to bring people together, and the rhythm of cooking over steady heat.

In this episode:

• The tale of Hopsie Mae Brewster’s final Sunday and the casserole that showed up when no one expected it
• How to make a creamy, cheesy chicken and hash brown casserole with a buttery cornflake topping (camp or kitchen)
• How to hold steady heat during a long Dutch oven bake
• How cast iron cooking and simple ingredients build deeper flavor (beer-brined or rotisserie chicken)

This episode closes out Season One of the Beer and Iron podcast. In Fall 2026, we’ll return with a tighter format, shorter stories, and cast iron tips and techniques to help you become a better cook. See you when the leaves start turning.