Hot water cornbread (or corn cake) is a staple in the south, and amongst northerners with southern roots. This delicious southern bread is very simple, quick and easy to make. Unlike regular cornbread, eggs and milk are not used in this recipe. In fact, very few ingredients are needed.
Hot Water Cornbread Recipe
Will make 10-12 cakes. Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of yellow “self-rising” corn meal
- 1 cup of boiling water
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- Olive oil, grease fat, shortening or butter for frying
For variations in the recipe you may want to add one or a combination of the following ingredients:
- ½ teaspoon of minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon of minced onion
- 1 teaspoon of sugar (will make more of a sweeter bread)
Preparation:
Hot water cornbread is best prepared in a cast iron skillet. This is because the flavors and seasonings from the skillet will actually soak into the bread.
- Bring cup of water to a boil.
- Heat oil or butter in skillet. For the health conscious, you may want to use olive oil; others may choose to use bacon fat, butter or shortening for more flavoring.
- Combine cornmeal, salt and other ingredients (if applicable) together in a mixing bowl.
- Add boiling water slowly while mixing with a spoon. You may or may not need the entire cup of water (this will depend on whether you use the other optional dry ingredients). The texture of the mix should be thicker than that of pancakes; more like that of mush or grits.
- Gather mixture into a small size mixing spoon; and drop into hot skillet. Make sure your skillet is not too high as the bread will cook too fast on the outside but not cook thoroughly on the inside.
- Flip bread as you would with a pancake. The bread should cook to a golden brown.
- Drain on paper towel to remove excess grease.
- Serve immediately.
Hot water cornbread is especially popular with southern dishes like catfish, fried chicken, black eyed peas, turnip, mustard or collard greens and fried green tomatoes. It is also good with all kinds of stews, soups, chilis and gumbos. Many southerners enjoy dipping the bread into pot liquor (that is the liquid remaining after greens are cooked) or buttermilk. Others smother the bread with rich gravies. Sweet hot water cornbread can be eaten with honey or hot syrup drizzled on top making it a great addition to a southern breakfast.
How you enjoy this great southern bread is not important. What's most important is that you enjoy it and keep this southern tradition alive.
