Big Bend Florida Sportsman Guide

Hush Puppies

A little on Hushpuppies.

Author Capt Ken 

Any hushpuppies will be better if you can get fresh wild onions--the kind that put hair on your chest. When I make a big batch of hushpuppies, I add Aunt Jemima Jalepeno Corn bread mix in equal proportions the cornmeal I use for regular hushpuppies.

Hush Puppies

Author Jack Hexter 

This recipe is kinda complicated for simply making hush puppies, but, it's worth it. 

                              1/2 lb onions

                              1 cup canned tomatoes, drained

                              1/4 cup ketchup

                              1 egg

                              1/2 cup buttermilk

                              1 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal

                              2 cups flour

                              3 teaspoons baking powder

                              1 teaspoon salt

                              1/2 teaspoon black pepper 

Mix onions, ketchup, tomatoes, egg, buttermilk. Mix cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together. Drop tablespoon size spoons into 375* deep frier. 

Addition by Clint 

A slight variation to Jack's great hush puppy recipe for those that like a little "bite" to their puppy. Substitute a drained can of "Rotell" (not sure of the spelling but it's chopped tomatoe's with serano chiles), leave out the ketchup and add 1/4 cup of V-8 Spicy juice and a diced up habanero. 

Capt. Ken's Hushpuppies

Author Capt Ken 

Every time I make these at a fish fry, I get rave reviews. This is for a small batch for maybe 6-8 folks.  

1 Cup yellow Cornmeal (white works ok too)

2 Tsp. Flour (corn flour is great here)

salt (more than you'd think you should use)

1 cup Martha White Jalapeno Cornbread mix

1/4 cup chopped onions (wild onions from your lawn are best)

Scalding water to make a thick paste.  

Fry in deep grease (peanut oil @ 375 degrees or so, please) after frying fish. Drain well.  

Suggestion: Serve Chlorets as after dinner mints if you use wild onions.

Hush Puppies

Author Cadman 

This is for Capt. Ken - no sugar

1 cup white, self-rising meal
1/2 cup Aunt Jemima pancake mix
1/2 cup white onions, diced finely
1/2 cup jalapeno peppers
1 egg
Garlic salt
Pepper (to taste)

Mix the above together; add buttermilk until cornbread is correct consistency for hushpuppies (thick). Let stand, covered, for 30 minutes.

Prepare hot grease - olive oil or peanut oil (grease from cooked fish is much better). Place a container of water (beer is better) near hot grease. Using a teaspoon to dip into mixture, first dip the spoon into the water, then pick up the hushpuppy mixture on the spoon and drop into hot cooking grease; repeat.

Addition by pipedream

OK, if you want to be lazy, go to Winn Dixie and buy a box of Fry Krisp onion hush puppy mix. It is a green box, and a box will make enought for 6-8 adults. Add a bunch of finely chopped onions, water, and fry. It is a really good mix. I've made these for dock parties in the Bahamas and everyone thinks I am a really good cook with them - I don't tell em its a mix! I have only found the mix in Winn Dixie. Publix carries a mix made by House of Autry which is acceptable, but the Fry Krisp brand is better. Has a nice corn meal flavor.

Addition by Clint 

try twisting the puppie mix up with tomato juice or V-8 instead of water, make sure you keep the buttermilk in the mix. A couple of serano chilis work too. 

Additon by Slowmovin 

A lot of times when making cornbread (pretty standard--cornmeal, baking powder, buttermilk, NO sugar) I'll add cumin, chili and two or three spoonfuls of chunky, hot salsa. It comes out pink but it tastes great. No reason why you couldn't try that with hushpuppies also (unless the tomatoes make the hot grease spatter too much...hadn't thought about that till just now).