No shrimp basket, barbecue sandwich, or fried catfish plate is complete without hush puppies.
Every Southerner knows that a plate offried shrimpor fish is not complete without a basket of hot hush puppies.
Learn how to make hush puppies at home so your next barbecue or fish fry is complete.
Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
What Are Hush Puppies?
Hush puppies are petite, fried balls of a cornmeal-based batter.
Typically, the batter is moistened with buttermilk and seasoned with salt and pepper.
Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
The batter is then scooped and dropped into a pot of hot oil and fried until crispy and golden.
Hush puppies are commonly served as a side dish to fried seafood, including catfish and shrimp.
Ingredients for Hush Puppies
You might already have everything you gotta make these savory hush puppies.
Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
How To Make Hush Puppies
before you dive in, set up for frying.
Put your pot on the stove, and pour in the oil.
Select a pair of soup spoons, or a small cookie scoop for portioning the batter.
Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Here’s a brief guide to making hush puppies.
A deep frying thermometer is an inexpensive way to guarantee success.
How To Serve Hush Puppies
Hush puppies are best eaten as soon as they are cooked.
Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
They are an essential accompaniment to fried fish and other Southern favorites.
You might enjoy them with a dip inCome Back Sauce,Buttermilk Ranch Sauce,Cajun Sauceor Cocktail Sauce.
These fried balls of cornmeal lose a little something after a day, however.
Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Their texture will grow a bit dense and gummy.
To revive them, heat them in the oven or an air fryer just before eating.
Make a well in the center of the mixture.
Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Combine wet and dry ingredients:
Stir together egg and buttermilk.
Add mixture to dry ingredients.
Fry hush puppies:
Pour oil into 10-inch cast iron skillet, and heat to 375F.
Drop batter by tablespoonfuls into oil, and fry in batches 3 minutes on each side or until golden.
Drain:
Drain on paper towels.
Variations
Bacon-and-Caramelized Onion Hush Puppies
Increase onion to 1 1/2 cups.
Saute onion in hot drippings over medium-low heat 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Proceed with recipe as directed, stirring in onion and bacon with cornmeal mix.
peeled) and 1 (8 1/4-oz.)
can cream-style corn into batter.
