1cupbuttermilkcan also use whole milk or combination of milk and beer
3tablespoonsunsalted buttermelted
oil for fryingpeanut oil or oil with high smoke point
Southern Comeback Sauce**see notes below
Instructions
In large bowl, whisk cornmeal with the flour, sugar, pepper, salt, cayenne and baking powder. Add the egg, milk, butter, green onions and bacon fat and whisk until dry and liquid ingredients are combined (do not over-mix or texture will be tough).
1 cup yellow cornmeal, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 large egg, 2 tablespoons melted bacon fat, 1 cup buttermilk, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 green onions
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In pot that is at least 6 inches deep (6-qt. Dutch oven works great) heat 2 inches of oil to 350 - 375 degrees. Don't skimp on the oil, the batter needs to submerge in the oil. Use a thermometer to maintain the 350 - 375 temperature, because if the heat is too low the puppies will absorb too much oil and if it is too high the outside will burn before the inside is done. Remember, the heat goes down when you add a lot of batter to the oil.
oil for frying
Set a rack over a baking sheet and place near the stove. Drop tablespoon-size balls of batter into the hot oil, about 6 at a time. You can drop the batter using 2 soup spoons sprayed with vegetable oil or a small ice-cream scoop.
Fry puppies until they are a rich golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Some of the puppies will flip themselves over, but use a slotted spoon or utensil to turn those that don't so they cook evenly. With a slotted spoon, transfer hush puppies to rack to drain. Repeat with remaining batter.
When all of the puppies have been fried, reheat them in oven for about 3 minutes, or until they're hot. Serve with variety of hot pepper jams or the Southern Comeback Sauce detailed in the notes below.
Southern Comeback Sauce
Notes
**Note: Oil may be used for another fry job if it is stored properly. After puppies are done, let oil cool thoroughly. Remove cooked particles by straining oil through strainer lined with cheesecloth or coffee filter. Use funnel to pour oil into empty bottle with a lid and label, date and store in the refrigerator. Use within one month.COMEBACK SAUCE:Whisk together these ingredients:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chile sauce
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp Worcestshire sauce
1 tsp hot sauce
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
OLD BAY REMOULADE:
1 1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 minced garlic clove
2 Tbsp ketchup
2 tsp capers
2 tsp coarse grain mustard
2 tsp Worcestshire sauce
2 tsp horseradish
2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
HOT PEPPER DIPYou can use any hot pepper jelly for this dip. If the jelly is too thickly gelled, just heat it a bit in the microwave to soften.If you like my articles about cooking and gardening, subscribe to my weekly newsletter, where I share free recipes and gardening tutorials.