Deep Fried Cornbread Takes This Southern Dish To The Next Level

There's a reason colorful corn cobs adorn Thanksgiving tables; corn is a plant first harvested and processed by Native Americans. Cornbread is an even more complex meeting of worlds, representing the combination of Native American ingredients and the culinary ingenuity of Black slaves that formed one of the most iconic staples of the American South.

However, before cornbread became the bouncy, sweet, cake-like quick bread we all know and love, it was a simple blend of cornmeal, salt, and perhaps sugar bound with hot water and fried into corn cakes. This tradition remains a staple in the South, appropriately called hot water cornbread. Not only is hot water cornbread different from the more well-known classic in terms of ingredients, but the deep frying cooking method instills a completely different texture and form.

This traditional hot water cornbread recipe from Tasting Table reveals the simplicity of the batter as a blend of cornmeal, sugar, and salt that a pour of hot water helps to form into a thick paste. Since the batter doesn't have eggs, buttermilk, flour, or baking powder, it won't rise and become fluffy. The hot oil you fry it in will transform the dough into a cross between a fritter and a hush puppy. They'll be considerably more corn-forward and savory than classic cornbread and also much denser and heartier. Plus, deep frying instills that unbeatable crispy crust and tender crumb contrast that you'll surely find a place for on your next Southern-style dinner plate.

Hot water cornbread patties need to be deep-fried in oil on both sides at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until crisp. Half-inch thick rounds will develop a crispy golden crust after only two or three minutes on each side. You can use oil with mid to high smoke points. While it's far from a typical choice, olive oil would bring another layer of earthiness to these corn cakes. That said, peanut and canola oil are cheaper and more common frying oils that will also do the trick. Some of the most historic recipes didn't use oil at all, but instead incorporated lard or shortening to the batter. You can likewise use bacon grease or lard for extra flavor.

To ensure the deep-fried cornbread crisps up successfully, the temperature must remain constant. A cast iron skillet is the best vessel for deep frying because of its heat-retaining properties. Another key to that crisp crust is to ensure that the patties don't touch as they fry, so work in batches.

The crispy yet dense texture and ultra-savory flavor of deep-fried cornbread can be enjoyed in numerous ways. You can eat them as a snack smothered with butter, jam, or honey. You can also eat them as a side dish to accompany classic Southern soul food plates. Pile a spoonful of collard greens on top of them or use them to scoop up this recipe for red beans and rice or black-eyed peas.