Description
Classic Southern Hush Puppies are crispy, golden-fried cornmeal balls infused with savory spices, perfect as a side dish or snack. These bite-sized treats are moist on the inside and deliciously crunchy on the outside, traditionally served with tartar sauce for dipping.
Ingredients
Scale
Frying Oil
- Oil (for frying), enough to fill 2 inches in skillet
Dry Ingredients
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Wet Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes
- Tartar sauce (for serving)
Instructions
- Heat the oil: Preheat oil in a large skillet to 365°F, filling the pan with about 2 inches of oil to ensure proper frying depth.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and pepper to create the dry base of the batter.
- Add wet ingredients: Crack in the egg and pour in the buttermilk, stirring until just combined and smooth.
- Incorporate butter: Fold in the cold, cubed butter pieces to add richness and moisture to the batter.
- Fry the hush puppies: Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of batter carefully into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per batch, turning as needed for even coloring.
- Drain and serve: Remove hush puppies with a metal strainer and place on paper towels to drain excess oil. Serve warm, optionally with tartar sauce for dipping.
Notes
- Maintain oil temperature at 365°F for perfect crispiness and to avoid greasy hush puppies.
- Use cold butter for better texture and moisture in the batter.
- Adjust seasoning according to taste preferences; adding some chopped onions or jalapeños adds a spicy twist.
- Serve hush puppies immediately for best texture; they tend to lose crispiness if left to sit too long.
