Crispy Hush Puppies

Ingredients

• 1 cup cornmeal (yellow, fine or medium grind)
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 whole large eggs
• ¾ cup whole milk
• ½ whole large yellow onion, finely minced
• 2 quarts vegetable oil (for frying)

Instructions

1. 1

   In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup cornmeal, 0.5 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1.5 teaspoons baking powder, 0.75 teaspoon kosher salt, and 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Set aside.

2. 2

   In a separate medium bowl, crack 2 large eggs and whisk them together, then add 0.75 cup whole milk and stir until combined.

3. 3

   Finely mince half of a large yellow onion (about 0.5 cup) and add it to the wet mixture. Stir gently to combine.

4. 4

   Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold together with a spatula until just combined—do not overmix. The batter should be thick and slightly lumpy, like thick pancake batter. Let it rest for 5 minutes so the cornmeal can absorb moisture.

5. 5

   Pour 2 quarts of vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed 4-quart Dutch oven or deep skillet. Heat over medium-high to 350°F, measuring with an instant-read or deep-fry thermometer—this should take about 8-10 minutes. The oil is ready when a tiny drop of batter sizzles and floats to the surface immediately upon contact.

6. 6

   Working in batches of 6-8, use a small cookie scoop (or two spoons) to drop rounded teaspoons of batter into the hot oil—space them about an inch apart so they fry evenly without crowding. Do not drop more than one batch at a time or the oil temperature will drop and the hush puppies will absorb too much oil.

7. 7

   Fry for 2-3 minutes per batch, stirring gently once halfway through with a wooden spoon or slotted spoon, until they are deep golden brown on all sides—they should look mahogany colored and crispy. Listen for a steady, gentle sizzle. If the oil is popping or smoking aggressively, lower the heat to 325°F.

8. 8

   Using a slotted spoon, transfer the finished hush puppies to a wire rack set over a baking sheet lined with paper towels—resting them on a wire rack instead of paper towels directly allows air to circulate underneath and keeps them crispy. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt while they are still warm.

9. 9

   Repeat with remaining batter, allowing the oil to return to 350°F between batches. Serve hush puppies warm or at room temperature. They are best eaten within 1-2 hours of frying, as the exterior begins to soften over time.

Tools you’ll need

• medium bowl
• whisk
• spatula
• 4-quart Dutch oven or deep skillet
• instant-read or deep-fry thermometer
• small cookie scoop (or two spoons)
• wooden spoon or slotted spoon
• wire rack
• baking sheet
• paper towels

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