Hot water cornbread is a traditional African American side dish made by mixing cornmeal with hot water, salt, sugar, and spices, then frying it in oil. It is often served with collard greens, beans, or fried chicken and can be sweetened for breakfast or dessert. The recipe is passed down through generations, and variations can include bacon grease, cheese, or jalapeno peppers.
Hot water cornbread is an old traditional African American side dish. It is generally part of southern soul food. Cornmeal is mixed with hot, boiling water and a few other ingredients, including salt, sugar, and spices. It is then fried in oil for about six minutes or until golden brown. Traditionally, cornbread is fried with bacon grease in a cast iron skillet.
Collard greens, mustard greens, beans, and possibly fried chicken often accompany hot water cornbread. This is a quick way to fry up some cornbread for a quick and filling meal. Hot water cornbread can be served around the holidays, though it’s also suitable for everyday or breakfast, when it can be smothered in maple syrup for a change of pace from traditional hot cakes. Breakfast corn often contains additional sugar for a sweet treat in the morning or even a quick dessert after dinner.
Some home cooks like to add bacon grease to their cornbread, adding flavor and moisture to the recipe, before hot-water frying the cornbread in vegetable oil. In other recipes, the shortening is added to the cornmeal to soften and add moisture. Just before the cook is ready to serve the hot water cornbread, he will mix the ingredients and quickly fry it so that it can be served piping hot. This is not a health food and not for someone who is trying to control their weight or cholesterol.
Like an old rustic recipe, the method of making this type of bread was handed down from generation to generation. Many home cooks won’t have to use measuring tools to do this. They’ll “look at it,” and know when the blend is just right. A cook takes a spoon in his hands and shapes it into a ball, then flattens the ball into a small pancake. If it sticks to her hands, she’ll add a little more cornmeal, or if it seems too dry, she’ll add a little more hot water or bacon drippings.
Ham, bacon, cheese, jalapeno peppers, corn, green onions, or anything available in the pantry can be added to hot water cornbread to enhance the taste and texture. If the cook has too many pans on the stove, he or she can also make the cakes in the oven by placing oil in a skillet, then adding the cornbread mixture and baking it in a hot oven for about 15 minutes.
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