Hot Water Cornbread

Course Bread, Breakfast, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword hot-water-cornbread-recipe, old-fashioned-hot-water-cornbread

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings servings

Calories 213kcal

2 cups self rising yellow cornmeal (you may use plain plus 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp baking powder)
2 tsp granulated sugar may adjust to taste
1/4 cup vegetable shortening or butter melted (may use vegetable oil)
1 1/2 cups boiling water
solid vegetable shortening, vegetable oil or bacon drippings for frying

In a medium bowl use a whisk to sift together the cornmeal and sugar.
Pour boiling water and shortening (or melted butter) over the cornmeal mixture. Mix with a rubber spatula until fully moistened. The mixture should be stiff. (If needed, you can add small amounts of additional cornmeal to achieve this texture.)
Let stand and cool slightly just until easy enough to handle. Shape into 8 rounds 1/2 - 3/4 inch thick. (Use a measuring cup or ice cream scoop to divide into even portions.)
Fry: Heat 1/4-inch or of vegetable shortening or vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. (You can also use bacon drippings.)
Fry cornbread for around 3 minutes per side, lowering heat to medium to prevent burning. Turn, as needed for even browning frying until they're golden brown. (If frying in batches, use a paper towel to wipe out the skillet between each batch and add additional shortening, oil or bacon drippings to the pan as needed.)
Remove to a platter lined with paper towels to drain. Keep warm.
Serve warm as a side dish at any meal. You can also serve with pats of butter and drizzled with maple syrup or honey.

Cornmeal: Self rising cornmeal is what I recommend as it already has salt and leavening included. Using it will lend a fluffier texture to the cornbread batter. This recipe could be adapted using plain yellow cornmeal but you'll need to add 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Shortening, Bacon Drippings, Oil or Butter: Vegetable shortening is the classic way hot water cornbread is made. You can fry these cornbread cakes not only in vegetable shortening, but you can also use vegetable oil, or go old school and use bacon drippings. You could also use a mixture of oil and butter, but do note that butter alone tends to burn due to the milk solids in it. You can also fry them in ghee or clarified butter to prevent from burning.

Is Hot Water Cornbread Flat? This simple style of fried cornbread is a cross between pancake-like Southern hoe cakes and corn muffins. Rest assured, it comes in many shapes and thickness due to each Cook's preference and none of them are wrong. That said, I make these just as demonstrated in the pictures keeping them around 1/2 - 3/4 inch thick.

Whole Eggs: Eggs haven't been omitted, they're not necessary for this old fashioned hot water cornbread. You could add, one large egg, if desired.

Spices and Seasonings: This recipe keeps it simple and classic, but just like cornbread you can also add various seasonings to the cornmeal. You could add granulated garlic or garlic powder and onion powder.

Herbs: You could add fresh chives or chopped green onions or green chiles and jalapenos.

Cheese: You could add sharp cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese or colby jack cheese for a mild cheese flavor.

Bake or Fry? This particular kind of bread is meant to be fried. See how to make cornbread muffins here.

Please note: Nutritional information doesn't include shortening, oil or bacon drippings used for frying.