Hush Puppies

I learned to make hush puppies when I was about 12 years old or so. I never really made them much after that. I was more into other things like dance and all things horses. I was preoccupied, to say the least. I have always loved to cook. It was a fun thing for me, sort of relaxing. After all of the other happenings were finished with my teen years, I got more into cooking. I hosted a family get-together, which became a yearly thing for family and friends. It was a BBQ and we had everything from BBQ to cole slaw, and even hush puppies. I had to learn yet again how to make them. This is the recipe I came up with and It has been a staple on our BBQ dinner table ever since. They are so easy and really good. It is a base recipe so you can do anything to these to bump up that flavor.

INGREDIENTS:

2 C. Cornmeal ( white or yellow)
1/2 C. All-Purpose Flour
1 Tsp. Cornstarch
1/2 C. Onion – diced fine
1 Egg
3/4 C. Milk
Salt And Pepper – to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add some neutral oil to a large pot or small Dutch oven. The oil should come about 2 inches from the top of the pan. You don’t want it to overflow when you add in the batter. Turn the heat to medium and let the oil get hot.
2. In the meantime, let’s make the batter. In a bowl combine the cornmeal, flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Mix to combine well. Add the onions and stir together. This helps the onions not clump up in the batter and it is evenly distributed throughout.
3. Add the egg and milk. Stir the egg and milk into the dry ingredients well. Let the batter sit for about 10 minutes. This helps the flour and cornmeal absorb the egg and milk. The batter should be slightly thick and fluffy.
4. When the oil is hot, Use either a 2 tbsp scoop or two spoons to scoop the batter and carefully drop the batter into the hot oil. Make sure to not add too many hush puppies to the oil as it will drop the temp of the oil and the hush puppies will not cook properly.
5. Once you get your batter into the oil gently roll the hush puppies around to brown on all sides. I use a metal spider strainer or a large metal slotted spoon to do this. Cook until the hush puppies are a medium to deep golden brown. Remove to a wire rack or a bowl lined with paper towel. (After the first batch you will need to turn the heat down to about medium-low so you don’t burn the other batches)

• Additions. to the batter: Add some herbs like parsley, oregano, or red pepper flakes. Want something spicy? Try adding in some fresh peppers like finely diced jalapenos, and red chili peppers, or if you are feeling brave… Carolina reapers or ghost peppers. Good luck.
• Mix a little grated cheese into the batter for a cheesy bite. These are so good. You can do a popper style with cheddar cheese and jalapenos…
• You can also make these plain with no onions or additions. They are still quite tasty.
• The cornstarch makes the outside a light crisp while the inside is soft and fluffy.
• These freeze so well. Store them in a double-lined zip-top bag and place them in the freezer. They will last up to 6 months. To reheat them just pull them out and let them come to room temp. Preheat the oven to 375 and bake for about 10 to 12 minutes or until warmed through. You can also reheat them in the air fryer. I typically reheat them in the air fryer at 325 for about 5 to 7 minutes. Just be sure to keep an eye on them. so they don’t burn.