Skip to main content

Archives: Recipes

Hush Puppies

Written by on .

Grated onion worked into a cornmeal batter is the classic fish-fry hush puppy, dropped by the spoonful into hot oil until it puffs and turns deep gold. The outside stays craggy and crunchy while the center bakes soft and sweet from the onion.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups stone-ground yellow cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 small yellow onion, finely grated (about 1/3 cup)
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 2 quarts peanut oil, for frying

Instructions

  1. Pour the peanut oil into a heavy pot to a depth of about 2 inches and heat over medium to 350 degrees.
  2. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl.
  3. In a second bowl, beat the egg and buttermilk, then stir in the grated onion along with any onion juice.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until combined into a thick batter. Let it rest 5 minutes so the cornmeal hydrates and the batter thickens.
  5. Drop rounded tablespoons of batter into the oil, a few at a time so the temperature holds near 350 degrees. Fry 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until deep golden brown all over.
  6. Lift the hush puppies out with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack. Salt them lightly while hot and serve right away.

Tips

  • Use two spoons to shape and release the batter. A rounded tablespoon gives you puppies that cook through before the outside burns.
  • Fry one test puppy first. If it browns before the center sets, drop the oil to about 340 degrees.

Buttermilk Biscuits

Written by on .

Cold butter grated into the flour and a light hand on the dough are the two things standing between you and a hockey puck. Folding the dough over on itself a few times builds the layers that pull apart in sheets once they bake.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, frozen
  • 1 1/4 cups cold buttermilk, plus more for brushing
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for finishing)

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment.
  2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the frozen butter directly into the flour, then toss with your fingers to coat the shreds.
  3. Make a well in the center and pour in the cold buttermilk. Stir with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms, still a little dry in spots.
  4. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and pat it into a rough rectangle about 1 inch thick. Fold it in thirds like a letter, pat out again, and repeat the fold two more times.
  5. Pat the dough to a final thickness of about 1 inch. Cut straight down with a floured 2 1/2-inch cutter without twisting, which would seal the edges and stop the rise.
  6. Set the biscuits on the sheet so their sides just touch, brush the tops with buttermilk, and bake 14 to 16 minutes until risen and golden. Brush with melted butter as they come out.

Tips

  • Press the cutter straight down and lift straight up. Twisting pinches the layered edges shut and the biscuits bake up lopsided.
  • Keep everything cold. If the butter softens while you work, chill the cut biscuits for 10 minutes before they go in the oven.

Cast-Iron Skillet Cornbread

Written by on .

Pouring the batter into a screaming-hot, bacon-greased skillet is what gives this cornbread its lacquered brown crust and the crackle you hear when you cut the first wedge. It leans savory in the old Southern way, with no sugar and a good hit of buttermilk.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons bacon grease or unsalted butter
  • 2 cups stone-ground yellow cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

  1. Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with the bacon grease in it on the middle rack, then heat the oven to 450 degrees. Let the skillet get hot while you mix the batter.
  2. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder together in a large bowl.
  3. In a separate bowl, beat the buttermilk and eggs, then whisk in the melted butter.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until combined. A few lumps are fine, and overmixing will toughen the crumb.
  5. Carefully pull out the hot skillet. Swirl the melted grease to coat the sides, then pour it into the batter and stir once. Pour the batter back into the skillet. It should sizzle.
  6. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden and a tester comes out clean. Turn the cornbread out of the skillet onto a rack so the bottom crust stays crisp, and serve warm.

Tips

  • The sizzle when the batter hits the pan is the whole point. If it doesn't hiss, your skillet wasn't hot enough for a good crust.
  • Stone-ground cornmeal has more corn flavor and texture than the fine degerminated kind sold in most boxes.

Carolina Pulled Pork with Mustard BBQ Sauce

Written by on .

The tangy yellow sauce here is pure South Carolina midlands, a Carolina Gold built on prepared mustard, cider vinegar, and brown sugar. A pork shoulder rubbed the night before and cooked low until it pulls apart gives you enough to feed a porch full of people.

Ingredients

  • 1 bone-in pork shoulder (Boston butt), 7 to 8 lbs
  • 3 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
  • 1 cup yellow mustard
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar (for the sauce)
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (for the sauce)

Instructions

  1. The night before, combine the kosher salt, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and dry mustard. Pat the pork dry and rub the spice mix over every surface. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.
  2. Take the pork out an hour before cooking. Heat the oven to 300 degrees and set the shoulder fat-side up in a roasting pan.
  3. Roast uncovered for about 7 to 8 hours, until the meat pulls easily from the bone and an instant-read thermometer reads 200 to 205 degrees at the center. Add a splash of water to the pan if the drippings start to scorch.
  4. While the pork rests, make the sauce. Whisk the yellow mustard, cider vinegar, 1/3 cup brown sugar, honey, Worcestershire, hot sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a saucepan. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring, then remove from the heat.
  5. Rest the pork at least 30 minutes, then pull the meat apart with two forks, discarding the bone and large pieces of fat.
  6. Moisten the pulled pork with a cup of the warm mustard sauce and toss. Serve the rest of the sauce alongside for people to add at the table.

Tips

  • Pull the pork at 200 degrees or above, not the 145 the USDA lists for safety. Below 195 the connective tissue hasn't broken down and the meat shreds tough.
  • The sauce tastes sharp straight off the stove and mellows overnight, so make it a day ahead if you can.

Baked Southern Macaroni and Cheese

Written by on .

This is the custard-style baked mac from church suppers and Sunday tables, bound with eggs and evaporated milk rather than a heavy roux. It bakes up sliceable and rich, with a sharp cheddar top that browns in patches under the broiler.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb elbow macaroni
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 lb sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated (about 4 cups), divided
  • 8 oz Colby Jack cheese, freshly grated (about 2 cups)
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
  2. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the macaroni about 2 minutes shy of package directions so it stays firm, then drain and return it to the warm pot. Stir in the 4 tablespoons butter until melted.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, evaporated milk, whole milk, dry mustard, garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne, and 1 tablespoon salt until smooth.
  4. Set aside 1 cup of the cheddar for the top. Stir the remaining cheddar and all the Colby Jack into the buttered macaroni, then pour in the egg mixture and fold everything together.
  5. Scrape the macaroni into the prepared dish, level the top, and scatter the reserved cheddar over it evenly.
  6. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until the center is set and the edges bubble. If the top needs more color, run it under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes. Let it rest 10 minutes before cutting.

Tips

  • Grate the cheese from blocks. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with anti-caking starch that keeps it from melting smoothly.
  • The custard should still jiggle slightly at the center when you pull it out. It firms up as it rests.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Written by on .

An overnight buttermilk soak seasoned with hot sauce and a little sugar does the heavy lifting here, tenderizing the meat and leaving a tang that carries through the crust. Fried in a cast-iron Dutch oven at a steady 325 degrees, the chicken comes out mahogany and shatteringly crisp.

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken (about 4 lbs), cut into 8 pieces
  • 3 cups buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons hot sauce (such as Texas Pete or Crystal)
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 quarts peanut oil, for frying

Instructions

  1. Whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce, sugar, and 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt in a large bowl. Add the chicken pieces, turn to coat, cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
  2. In a wide, shallow dish, combine the flour, cornstarch, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, cayenne, and the remaining 2 tablespoons kosher salt.
  3. Working one piece at a time, lift the chicken from the buttermilk, letting excess drip off, then dredge firmly in the flour mixture. Press the coating on and set the piece on a wire rack. Let the dredged chicken rest 15 minutes so the crust sets.
  4. Pour the peanut oil into a large cast-iron Dutch oven to a depth of about 2 inches and heat over medium to 325 degrees. Keep a thermometer clipped to the side.
  5. Fry the chicken in batches without crowding, starting skin-side down. Dark meat needs about 12 to 14 minutes, white meat 10 to 12, turning once. Adjust the burner to hold the oil between 300 and 325 degrees.
  6. The chicken is done when it reads 165 degrees at the thickest part for breasts and 175 degrees for thighs and drumsticks. Drain on a clean wire rack, not paper towels, and rest 5 minutes before serving.

Tips

  • A wire rack instead of paper towels keeps the bottom crust from steaming and going soft.
  • Let the oil recover to 325 degrees between batches or the crust will absorb grease and turn greasy.

Okra and Tomatoes

Written by on .

Fresh summer okra and ripe tomatoes stewed with onion and a little bacon make one of the quickest ways to put the season's garden on the table. A brief hard sear on the okra before it goes into the tomatoes cuts the sliminess and gives the dish a firmer bite.

Ingredients

  • 3 slices bacon, chopped
  • 1 lb fresh okra, sliced 1/2 inch thick
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped (or 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes)
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, if needed

Instructions

  1. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove it with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pan.
  2. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the okra to the hot fat, adding the vegetable oil if the pan looks dry. Sear the okra without stirring much for about 4 minutes until browned in spots, which helps cut the sliminess.
  3. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 4 minutes, then stir in the garlic and cook one minute.
  4. Add the tomatoes, salt, black pepper, cayenne, and vinegar. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
  5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes, until the okra is tender and the tomatoes have cooked down into a light sauce.
  6. Stir the bacon back in, taste for salt, and serve hot alongside rice or cornbread.

Tips

  • Choose small, firm okra pods no longer than your finger. Larger ones turn woody and fibrous.
  • The splash of vinegar and the initial sear both keep the texture on the firm side rather than ropy.

Southern Collard Greens

Written by on .

Collards need a long, slow simmer with a smoked ham hock to turn from tough and bitter into silky greens swimming in savory pot liquor. This is a fixture of the Gullah Geechee table, and the broth left in the pot is worth sopping up with a wedge of cornbread.

Ingredients

  • 2 large bunches collard greens (about 2 lbs)
  • 1 smoked ham hock or smoked turkey wing (about 12 oz)
  • 1 tablespoon bacon grease or vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 cups water or chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)

Instructions

  1. Wash the collards well in a sink of cold water, agitating to loosen any grit, then lift them out and repeat until the water stays clean. Strip the leaves from the tough center stems and stack, roll, and slice the leaves into 1-inch ribbons.
  2. In a large pot, heat the bacon grease over medium heat and cook the onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook one minute more.
  3. Add the ham hock and the water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 30 minutes to build the pot liquor.
  4. Add the collards in batches, stirring each addition down until it wilts and there is room for more. Stir in the vinegar, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and sugar if using.
  5. Cover and simmer gently for 45 to 60 minutes, until the greens are completely tender and the broth is rich. Stir occasionally and add a splash of water if the level drops too low.
  6. Lift out the ham hock, chop any meat, and return it to the pot. Taste and adjust with more salt and a final splash of vinegar before serving with the pot liquor.

Tips

  • Taste for balance at the end. A little more vinegar brightens the pot and a pinch of sugar tames any lingering bitterness.
  • Save the pot liquor for the next batch or freeze it. It makes a superb base for bean soups and rice.

Chicken Perloo

Written by on .

Perloo is the Lowcountry one-pot rice dish where chicken and rice cook together in seasoned stock until every grain carries the flavor of the bird. The name shifts from perloo to purloo to pilau depending on which side of the marsh you grew up on, but the method stays the same: brown the meat, build the broth, then let the rice drink it all in.

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 slices bacon, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 2 cups long-grain white rice (Carolina Gold if available), rinsed
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 green onions, sliced, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Season the chicken all over with salt and black pepper. In a large Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, then remove it and set aside.
  2. Add the oil to the bacon fat, raise the heat to medium-high, and brown the chicken pieces skin-side down until golden, about 5 minutes per side. Work in batches so the pot is not crowded, then remove the chicken.
  3. Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of fat. Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper and cook until soft, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook one minute.
  4. Add the drained tomatoes, stock, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, cayenne, and bay leaves. Return the chicken and any juices to the pot, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
  5. Remove the chicken to a plate. When cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the bones in large pieces and discard the skin and bones.
  6. Stir the rinsed rice into the simmering liquid, nestle the chicken back in, cover tightly, and cook on low for 20 to 22 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid absorbed. Remove the bay leaves, let rest 5 minutes, then fold in the reserved bacon and scatter green onions over the top.

Tips

  • Keep the ratio close to 1 1/2 cups liquid per cup of rice once the chicken comes out, since the tomatoes and rendered fat add moisture too.
  • A cast-iron Dutch oven holds steady low heat and gives you the lightly crusted bottom layer that perloo cooks prize.

Lowcountry Okra Soup

Written by on .

This tomato-based okra soup simmers low and slow until the okra breaks down and thickens the broth into something between a soup and a stew, the way it has been made in Charleston kitchens for generations. A smoked ham hock and a little beef shin give it the deep, meaty foundation that store-bought stock never delivers.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs beef shin or soup bones
  • 1 smoked ham hock (about 12 oz)
  • 2 tablespoons bacon grease or vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 1/2 lbs fresh okra, sliced 1/2 inch thick (or 2 lbs frozen cut okra)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Cooked white rice, for serving

Instructions

  1. Pat the beef shin dry. Heat the bacon grease in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown the beef on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Remove and set aside.
  2. Lower the heat to medium, add the onion, and cook until soft, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook one minute more.
  3. Return the beef to the pot and add the ham hock, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, water, thyme, black pepper, and cayenne. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a bare simmer.
  4. Simmer partially covered for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the meat is fork-tender. Lift out the beef and ham hock, pull the meat from the bones, chop it, and return it to the pot. Discard the bones.
  5. Add the okra and the salt. Simmer uncovered for another 40 to 45 minutes, stirring now and then, until the okra softens and the broth thickens. Skim any foam that rises early on.
  6. Taste and adjust the salt and cayenne. Ladle over a scoop of white rice in each bowl.

Tips

  • The soup thickens as it stands and tastes even better the next day, so make it ahead when you can.
  • If you dislike the ropy texture some okra throws off, add a splash of vinegar with the okra and keep the pot at a steady simmer rather than a hard boil.

Hoppin’ John

Written by on .

Hoppin' John cooks dried field peas and rice in the same pot so the starch and pot liquor bind everything together, a dish that traces straight back to West African rice-and-bean traditions carried through the Gullah Geechee kitchens of the Carolina coast. Served on New Year's Day it promises luck, but it earns a place on the table any cold week of the year.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dried field peas or black-eyed peas
  • 1 smoked ham hock (about 12 oz)
  • 4 thick slices bacon, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice (Carolina Gold if available), rinsed

Instructions

  1. Sort the dried peas and rinse them. Cover with cold water and soak at least 4 hours or overnight, then drain.
  2. In a large pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until the fat renders, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook one minute more.
  3. Add the drained peas, ham hock, 6 cups water, bay leaf, black pepper, and cayenne. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer.
  4. Simmer partially covered for about 45 minutes, until the peas are tender but still hold their shape. Add the salt once the peas have softened.
  5. Lift out the ham hock, pull the meat from the bone, chop it, and return the meat to the pot. Discard the bone, skin, and bay leaf.
  6. Measure the liquid in the pot and adjust so you have about 2 cups covering the peas. Stir in the rinsed rice, cover tightly, and cook on low for 20 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Let rest 5 minutes, then fold together and taste for salt.

Tips

  • Salt the peas only after they turn tender. Salting early keeps the skins tough and slows the cooking.
  • Serve with a side of collards and cornbread. The greens stand in for folding money and the peas for coins on New Year's Day.

Charleston Red Rice

Written by on .

Charleston red rice gets its color from tomato and its backbone from bacon fat, and the grains steam apart cleanly when you leave the lid alone for the last twenty minutes. Cooks along the coast argue over sausage versus no sausage, but everyone agrees the bottom layer that catches on the pot is the best part.

Ingredients

  • 4 thick slices bacon, chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice (Carolina Gold if available), rinsed
  • 1 3/4 cups chicken stock
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 bay leaf

Instructions

  1. Heat a heavy oven-safe pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and cook the bacon until the fat renders and the pieces crisp, about 6 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.
  2. Add the onion and bell pepper to the bacon fat and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook one more minute.
  3. Stir in the tomato paste and let it darken for a minute, then add the crushed tomatoes, stock, salt, black pepper, cayenne, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer.
  4. Add the rinsed rice and the reserved bacon and stir once to distribute everything evenly. Bring back to a gentle simmer.
  5. Cover tightly, reduce heat to low, and cook without lifting the lid for 20 to 25 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
  6. Alternatively, cover and bake at 350 F for 25 minutes for the most even result. Remove the bay leaf, fluff gently with a fork, and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Tips

  • Rinse the rice until the water runs clear so the grains stay separate instead of turning sticky.
  • Resist stirring once the lid goes on. Every peek releases steam and leaves you with unevenly cooked rice.