Recipe Buttermilk Hushpuppies

[medtran49]

The story about how hushpuppies came about was that cowboys cooking their dinner on the campfire would hear their dogs whining because of the smells coming from the food cooking. Some smart cowboy cooked up some batter then threw it to the dogs, saying "hush puppies." Don't know if it's true, but it's a cute story.

Buttermilk Hushpuppy recipe courtesy of Mama Smith at allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar (optional, I use about 1/8 cup as DH is not big on sweet cornbread)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup minced onion
4 green onions, minced

Oil for frying, vegetable or peanut or cannola

Notes: For 2 of us, I make half the recipe. These are so good they get eaten.

If you use buttermilk occasionally, but don't like to freeze it or throw it away once it goes bad, consider looking for buttermilk powder that can be found with the canned/powdered regular milk at your grocery. You can also find it at Wal-Mart online for store pick up or on Amazon, but it's very expensive comparatively from Amazon. There are directions on the package regarding ratios to use.

Directions

Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C).

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).

Whisk buttermilk (or 1 scant cup of water if using powder), 1/4 cup vegetable oil, and eggs in a bowl.

Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt (as well as buttermilk powder if using) in a separate bowl. Fold buttermilk mixture, onion, and green onions into cornmeal mixture until just mixed.

Drop tablespoon-sized balls (I use a scoop with a lever) of batter into the hot oil and fry until each hushpuppy is golden brown. Don't overcrowd your pan. Turn the hushpuppies after the bottom has just set so that they don't try to flip back over because they are top heavy. Continue to turn until golden brown, about 6 to 10 minutes. Remove hushpuppies with a slotted spoon and place on a rack to drain. Transfer hushpuppies to a baking sheet and keep warm in the preheated oven. Repeat above until all batter is used. Serve.

 

[Morning Glory]

I really need to try making these. but I'm slightly worried about the amount of sugar. It was mentioned in another thread: Hushpuppies recipes and tips? that they were eaten with fish and shrimp so it seems a little odd to my UK palate that they are sweet.

Edit: Just noted the sugar is optional!!!

 

[TastyReuben]

I really need to try making these. but I'm slightly worried about the amount of sugar. It was mentioned in another thread: Hushpuppies recipes and tips? that they were eaten with fish and shrimp so it seems a little odd to my UK palate that they are sweet.

Edit: Just noted the sugar is optional!!!

Cornbread in general is like that here (and this is fried cornbread). Depending on where you're from and how you were raised, you'll make cornbread with a little sugar in it, or without any at all. It's a fairly hot debate among cornbread devotees (as well as the use of white versus yellow cornmeal).

For the record, my cornbread preference is white cornmeal, no sugar.

 

[medtran49]

Either cut down like I do for Craig or cut down even further, but do add some. The sugar adds a little sumthin, sumthin. Even with the full amount of sugar, they aren't sweet like a dessert, just a bit too sweet for Craig because he was brought up by a damn Yankee!

 

[JAS_OH1]

We southerners (most of us) like our cornbread slightly sweet. I used 2 tbsp of brown sugar and they were perfect, lovely blend with the scallions. I also made tartar sauce for the fish using pickle relish, and that is a little sweet, so it all went well together.

 

[CraigC]

We southerners (most of us) like our cornbread slightly sweet. I used 2 tbsp of brown sugar and they were perfect, lovely blend with the scallions. I also made tartar sauce for the fish using pickle relish, and that is a little sweet, so it all went well together.

You've got to try this tartar sauce!

Recipe - Roasted Garlic Tartar Sauce