Hush Puppies (BBQ)
intro
Crispy golden cornmeal fritters with smoky BBQ notes, crunchy outside and fluffy inside, perfect for pairing with grilled fare at outdoor summer cookouts.
Ingredients
Steps
Combine dry ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1.5 cups fine yellow cornmeal, 0.5 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons smoky BBQ dry rub, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt until fully evenly blended, with no clumps of spice or baking powder remaining.
Mix hush puppy batter
In a separate medium bowl, whisk 1 beaten large egg, 1 cup full-fat buttermilk, and 3 tablespoons smoky BBQ sauce until smooth. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredient bowl, stir with a wooden spoon just until no dry flour remains, then fold in 1/3 cup diced yellow onion, 2 tablespoons minced jalapeño, and 1/4 cup shredded cheddar. Do not overmix—small lumps are fine, as overmixing creates tough hush puppies. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes at room temperature to allow the cornmeal to hydrate.
Heat frying oil
Pour 4 cups neutral vegetable oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or deep fryer, set over medium heat until the oil reaches a steady 350°F (175°C), measured with a candy/deep fry thermometer. Heat the oil while the batter rests to save time, and maintain this consistent temperature throughout frying, adjusting burner heat as needed to avoid spikes or drops that cause greasy or undercooked hush puppies.
Fry batter in batches
Working in 3-4 small batches to avoid overcrowding the pot (which drops oil temperature), drop rounded 2-tablespoon scoops of batter into the hot oil, using a small cookie scoop for uniform size. Fry each batch for 3 to 4 minutes total, turning the hush puppies halfway through cooking with a slotted metal spoon, until they are deep golden brown on all sides and cooked through to the center.
Drain and season
Use the slotted spoon to transfer cooked hush puppies from the oil to a wire rack set over a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Immediately sprinkle the hot hush puppies with a light pinch of extra BBQ dry rub to adhere to the crispy exterior while they are still hot. Let them drain for 2 minutes before serving, to allow excess oil to drip off and the interior to set slightly.
Serve warm with sauce
Arrange the drained hush puppies on a serving platter, alongside a small bowl of extra warmed smoky BBQ sauce for dipping. Serve immediately while hot and crispy, as hush puppies lose their crisp texture as they cool to room temperature.
Tips
2.Monitor oil temperature closely with a candy thermometer, holding it steady at 350°F (175°C). Too-cold oil makes greasy, oil-soaked hush puppies, while too-hot oil burns the exterior before the center cooks through.
3.Drain cooked hush puppies on a wire rack set over paper towels rather than piling them directly on paper towels, which traps steam and turns the crispy exterior soggy as they rest.
OMG these BBQ hush puppies are a total game changer! I made them for our weekend backyard cookout and every single person asked for the recipe. Crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy inside, that little hint of BBQ seasoning is chef’s kiss. My husband ate like 6 before the burgers were even done lmao
My kids loved it! I was worried the BBQ flavor might be too much for my picky eaters but they gobbled these up faster than the chicken nuggets I made as a backup. So easy to throw together on a busy school night too, total win for weeknight dinners
SO good. Brought these to our annual fish fry on the lake and they fit right in with all the classic fried sides. The BBQ twist adds such a nice depth instead of the plain hush puppies we usually make. Will absolutely be adding these to the permanent rotation
Super easy recipe for a beginner! First time I’ve ever made hush puppies and they turned out pretty good, only thing is I think I overmixed the batter a little so they were a tiny bit dense. Still tasted great though, my roommates destroyed the whole batch in 10 minutes
I grew up eating hush puppies at every family fish fry and BBQ, and this BBQ version might be my new go-to! It has all the classic cornmeal texture I love with that smoky BBQ kick that feels new but familiar. 10/10
Made these for our Sunday football watch party and they were the first appetizer gone! Served them with a side of spicy queso for dipping and people were raving the whole first quarter. 30 minute cook time is perfect for when you forget you volunteered to bring a dish last minute lmao
These are great for meal prep! I made a big batch on Sunday and reheated them in the air fryer all week for a quick side with dinner. Only note is they get a little dry if you microwave them, so stick to oven or air fryer to reheat. Super tasty though!
Just made these for the first time ever and I can’t believe how easy they were! I’ve always been scared to fry food at home but the instructions were so clear and they turned out perfectly golden and crispy. My roommate said they taste better than the ones at our local BBQ joint!!!
If you don’t dip these in homemade ranch you are missing OUT. The cool herby ranch pairs so perfectly with the smoky crispy hush puppy, I could eat an entire batch by myself no cap. So easy to make too, zero fancy ingredients needed
Made these for my neighborhood block party last weekend and I had three people chase me down to get the recipe! The BBQ flavor is unique enough to stand out from all the other potluck sides, but familiar enough that even the pickiest old-timers loved them. 10/10, will make again for every potluck this summer
I’ve been making hush puppies for over 40 years and I never thought to add BBQ seasoning to the batter! This recipe is so simple but that little smoky kick makes them taste extra special. My grandkids ate them with honey butter and said they were the best thing I’ve ever made, which is saying something because my fried chicken is award winning lmao
These were so tasty! Only issue I had was my first batch fell apart a little in the oil, but I let the batter rest for 10 minutes after mixing and the rest came out perfect. Great smoky flavor, way better than the store-bought frozen hush puppies I usually buy