Onion Hush Puppies

Hush puppies are a Southern fish fry staple, and this buttermilk version keeps things simple. Flour, buttermilk, egg, sugar, and leavening get mixed with just enough shortening to form golf ball-sized dough balls that fry up golden and crisp on the outside, soft and pillowy inside.

The buttermilk reacts with both the baking powder and baking soda to give these serious lift despite the dense dough. That double leavening is why the interior stays light and airy instead of heavy and doughy.

Roll them to a consistent size so they cook evenly. Golf ball-sized is the target. Too small and they cook through before the crust has time to brown. Too large and the outside burns while the center stays raw.

Pro Tips

• Keep your oil at a steady temperature. If the oil is too cool, the hush puppies absorb grease and turn heavy. Too hot and they brown before cooking through.
• Don’t crowd the fryer. Adding too many at once drops the oil temperature and gives you greasy, pale results.
• Use a spider or slotted spoon to turn them gently so they brown evenly on all sides.
• Drain on a wire rack instead of paper towels. The rack lets air circulate so the bottoms stay crispy instead of steaming.

Variations

• Add ¼ cup of finely diced onion or scallions to the batter for the classic onion hush puppy flavor.
• Mix in a tablespoon of jalapeño for a spicy kick.
• Fold in ½ cup of corn kernels for a sweeter, more textured pup.