Description
Cornbread Southern Classic creates a golden, crispy delight perfect for comfort meals. Home cooks can quickly master this simple southern side dish with basic pantry ingredients and enjoy its satisfying crunch.
Ingredients
Scale
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 24 tbsps water (as needed for consistency)
- 1 egg
- 1 cup cornmeal (yellow or white, fine or medium grind)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar (optional)
- Oil for frying (vegetable, canola, or peanut oil)
Instructions
- Dry Mixture Preparation: Thoroughly blend cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and pepper in a large mixing bowl, ensuring complete integration of dry ingredients.
- Liquid Integration: Whisk buttermilk and egg into the dry blend, introducing water gradually to achieve a smooth, pourable batter with consistent texture and no lumps.
- Oil Heating: Warm a cast-iron skillet with a thin oil layer over medium heat, allowing the surface to reach an ideal frying temperature around 350°F, creating a shimmering oil surface.
- Batter Deployment: Gently drop spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil, carefully spreading each portion to create uniform hush puppies that will develop a crisp, golden exterior.
- Frying Process: Cook the hush puppies for 2-3 minutes per side, rotating when the bottom achieves a deep golden-brown color and crispy perimeter, ensuring complete internal cooking.
- Draining and Serving: Transfer the freshly fried hush puppies to a paper towel-lined plate to remove excess oil, then plate immediately while piping hot, accompanied by preferred condiments like butter, honey, or hot sauce.
Notes
- Manage Batter Consistency: Avoid overmixing to prevent tough cornbread; stir just until ingredients combine for tender, light results.
- Control Oil Temperature: Maintain steady 350-375°F heat to ensure crispy exterior without greasy or burnt surfaces; use a thermometer for precision.
- Optimize Frying Technique: Drop small, uniform batter portions to guarantee even cooking and consistent golden-brown coloration across each piece.
- Enhance Dietary Adaptability: Substitute buttermilk with dairy-free alternatives like almond milk and eggs with flax eggs for gluten-free or vegan versions without compromising texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Southern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg