Beer Batter Hush Puppies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is hush puppy breading made of? ›

Hush puppies are made from a basic batter consisting of yellow cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, buttermilk or milk and eggs. Many recipes call for the addition of scallions or onions. The base lends itself to riffing, too, including the addition of spicy peppers, cheese, spices or even beer.

Beer batter—made by combining beer (usually a lighter style such as a lager), egg, and flour—is often used to coat fish, onion rings, and other types of pub-style fare before deep-frying.

If too much flour is used, the hush puppies become heavy, dense, and bread-like. After much experimentation, I landed on a 3:1 ratio: 1 1/2 cups cornmeal to 1/2 cup flour. The type of cornmeal you use is equally as important.

The main ingredients in hush puppies are cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Some recipes also call for egg, milk, and butter.

Southern Hush Puppies are deceptively delicious bites of slightly sweetened cornmeal batter flavored with a little onion and fried until golden and crisp on the outside and fluffy and light on the inside. They are a must for your fish fry and make a fantastic appetizer or side dish for almost any meal!

So, escaping slaves used to throw balls of fried cornmeal out to distract the hounds from tracking them. The hound stopped barking and tracking thanks to the cornmeal which later adopted the name "hush puppies.” We know this is true because it's popping up all over Facebook, right?

Beer Batter Ingredients

These are the simple ingredients you'll need to make this basic beer batter recipe: Flour: This homemade beer batter starts with all-purpose flour. Cornstarch: Cornstarch ensures an extra crispy, light fry every time. Egg: An egg creates a more delicate crust and helps seal in moisture.

Most are fair game for beer batter (Pilsner Urquell, Stella Artois, Modelo, and Firestone Pivo Pils are particularly nice), with the exception of Bohemian pilsner, which comes with a heavy dose of spices that can change the overall flavor of your dish. In a beer batter, pilsner is one of the more low-key options.

The main reason hush puppies fall apart isn't the batter, it's the oil. To ensure your hush puppies stay intact, make sure the oil is heated to the correct temperature. Add 3 to 4 inches of oil to your skillet or Dutch oven, and using a thermometer, heat the oil to 365° to 375°.

Hush Puppies vs. Corn Fritters. Hush puppies and corn fritters may be in the same family, but each is unique. They're both deliciously indulgent, deep-fried dough featuring corn, but hush puppies are made from a cornmeal-based batter, while corn fritters are flour-based and studded with corn kernels throughout.

How do you know when hush puppies are done? ›

When the hush puppies turn golden brown, start temping them with your Thermapen. If the lowest temp you see is 165°F (74°C), the hush puppies are done! Remove the hush puppies to a paper towel-lined pan, bring the oil back up to heat, and fry the rest in batches as above.

Hushpuppies can be a modest source of essential vitamins and minerals. They often contain small amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron, which play vital roles in supporting overall health and well-being.

Besides "red horse bread," Southerners had several of other names for what we now call hushpuppies, like "wampus" in Florida, and "red devils" and "three finger bread" in Georgia. But hushpuppy was the term that stuck.

Long John Silver's wild-caught Cod and Pollack come from the icy waters of the North Pacific Ocean, one of the best-managed and most sustainable fisheries in the world. LJS fish is fresh-caught, and flash-frozen while still aboard the fishing boats to lock in the flavor.

Cornmeal and flour: This corn dog batter starts with yellow cornmeal and all-purpose flour. Sugar: A pinch of sugar lends a hint of sweetness. Baking powder: Baking powder acts as a leavener, which means it helps the batter rise. Salt and pepper: Salt enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.

A hushpuppy is a simple treat—thick cornmeal batter dropped in spheres (or nuggets or fingers) into hot oil and fried till crisp and brown. But the origin of the name . . . well, that's where it all goes to the dogs.

The main difference is that cornbread is baked and hush puppies are fried, hence the difference in texture—though hush puppies can be air fryed, too. "Typically hush puppy batter is a little thicker than cornbread batter, but that is just a matter of moisture. The basic ingredients are the same," Matijevich said.

Hush Puppies vs. Corn Fritters. Hush puppies and corn fritters may be in the same family, but each is unique. They're both deliciously indulgent, deep-fried dough featuring corn, but hush puppies are made from a cornmeal-based batter, while corn fritters are flour-based and studded with corn kernels throughout.