Since cornbread is a Southern favorite, I looked for guidance from trusted resources – maybe a hot water cornbread Paula Deen version or a Patti Labelle hot water cornbread recipe. Ultimately I found success on my own, though, after lots of trial and error, I came up with something close to the texture and flavor I remember.
When did cornbread recipe started?
Simple cornbread recipes date back to the 1600s, and there are so many types of this corny treat – sweet and savory, baked and fried, light and dense, thin and thick. It’s cooked in big casserole dishes, muffin tins, and cornstick pans (the ones shaped like little ears of corn), and used as a delicate dunker for soups and stews or a substantive base for stuffing.
What is hot water cornbread recipe?
Hot Water Cornbread is made by softening seasoned cornmeal with hot (boiling) water, then forming the dough into patties before frying.
Most cornbread recipes use both cornmeal and flour, and many make hot water cornbread with self-rising cornmeal V. “SELF RISING”, which adds leavening too. Even the hot water cornbread Southern Living makes uses self-rising cornmeal. While this simplifies the recipe, I think the corn flavor gets diluted by the flour, and the added baking powder definitely changes the texture.
Hot water cornbread recipe Paula Deen
Crispy corn cakes suited for snacking and savory-soup-soaking, this Hot Water Cornbread will be welcome at your dining table any time
- PREP TIME5 mins
- COOK TIME10 mins
- TOTAL TIME15 mins
- SERVINGS: 4
INGREDIENTS
- 2 Cups About Canola Oil or Crisco
- 2 Cups Yellow Cornmeal
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
- 1 Teaspoons Sugar
- 1/4 Cup Green Onions Thinly Sliced
- 2 Teaspoons Fresh Thyme Leaves
- 2 Cups Boiling Water
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add enough oil to large cast iron skillet, to reach halfway up the sides of the skillet. Heat oil over medium-high heat.
- Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine cornmeal, salt, sugar, green onions, thyme. Add boiling water and stir until smooth.
- Spoon the batter into large tablespoonful’s and gently flatten with wet hands. When the oil is hot (insert temperature range) fry in batches, turning once until crisp and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Serve
Hot water cornbread recipe Paula Deen – Shreveport chef
This hot water cornbread from Shreveport chef Hardette Harris is perfect alongside any Southern entree (and appears on the Official Meal of North Louisiana).
Hot Water Cornbread Serves 12
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¾ cup boiling water
Instructions
- In a large cast-iron pan, pour oil to a depth of ½ inch, and heat over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.
- In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Slowly pour in ¾ cup boiling water, and stir until smooth. Mold batter by hand into 1-inch thick pieces, and place in hot oil in pan in batches. Cook until light brown, about 3 minutes. Turn, and cook 3 minutes more. Let drain on paper towels, and serve warm.
Fried Cornbread – Southern Cornmeal Hoecakes
| Prep time: 10 min |Cook time: 20 min | | Yield: About 10 (5 servings) |
Ingredients
- 1 cup self-rising flour
- 1 cup all-purpose cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar, optional
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup cooking oil or bacon drippings
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels and place a rack on top; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add buttermilk, water and eggs; mix well. Heat oil and butter in a cast iron skillet over medium to medium high and drop batter by 1/8 cup measure into the hot skillet to form small medallions.
Fry until brown and crisp, turn and brown the other side. Remove and let drain on rack. Serve immediately with warm syrup or honey butter for breakfast or as a snack, or dip ’em in a mess o’ greens to sop up that pot likker (juice from the greens)!
Variation
When corn is at peak and in-season, add about 1 cup of corn cut and scraped off the cob. You’ll need about 1 large ear of corn. Can also make this into a pan hoecake. Add only enough buttermilk to make a stiff batter. You may not need the additional water. Pour into a screaming hot, well greased 8-inch cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Reduce heat and let brown underneath about 10 – 15 minutes. Run a metal egg turner underneath and turn to brown the other side. Can also bake in a well preheated 425 degree F oven for about 15 to 20 minutes (no turning needed).
Tip: If you spray the measuring cup with a bit of non-stick spray before scooping, the batter will slip right out. If you don’t happen to have that 1/8 cup measure, just do about 2 tablespoons of batter in one pile and push it around to form a medallion.
Jalapeno Cheese Fried Cornbread: Prepare as above, adding in 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese and 1/4 cup chopped pickled jalapeno. Spoon batter into pan, topping with whole slices of pickled jalapeno. Let set and turn.
Hot Water Cornbread: Omit the flour, eggs and buttermilk. Increase cornmeal to 2 cups, adding salt and baking powder. Sugar is optional. For the water, rapidly boil 2 cups of water and begin stirring into the dry mix, a little at a time until mixture gathers together. Depending on grain of cornmeal, you may not need all of the water. Using wet hands, scoop out enough of the cornmeal to form into a pone in the palm of your hand. Add to skillet of hot oil. Drain on paper towels.
More Corn Recipe Ideas?
- Jalapeno Bacon Cornbread – Moist and tender cornbread accompanied with a perfect amount of heat and smokey bacon flavor!
- Scalloped Corn – Great side dish with the right amount of smokey bacon, crunchy bread top.
- Mexican Corn Salad – The perfect mix of tangy, sweet, and savory tastes in a side dish!
- Corn Cakes – Easy side dish with just a few ingredients that will take you back to grandmas kitchen!
- Corn Pudding – Our velvety, custardy Corn Pudding attains a new level of scrumptious! Its creamy corn filling is hearty and rich. Best of all- it’s easy to make!