158 southern recipes

Old-fashioned Southern crackling bread made with cornmeal, buttermilk, and crispy pork cracklings. Shaped into oblong cakes and baked golden, this is country cooking at its finest.

Crispy fried dill pickle chips coated in seasoned flour and a Worcestershire-spiked egg wash. The Southern bar appetizer that flies off the plate. Served with ranch, ketchup, or horseradish.

Pickled figs in a spiced syrup with clove, allspice, cinnamon, and mace. Old-Southern preserve that turns whole figs into glossy, jewel-like jars for cheese boards and roasted meats.

Country Captain is a storied Southern curried chicken stew with tomatoes, green peppers, garlic, and warm spices. A whole hen simmered tender and served over rice. Feeds 8.

Southern hush puppies made with grits and buttermilk instead of cornmeal. Deep-fried golden in 3 minutes with a gritty, crunchy texture you can't get any other way.

Slow cooker pulled pork barbecue made with a 4-pound pork shoulder cooked overnight until fall-apart tender, then shredded in tangy barbecue sauce. Pile it on buns with dill pickles for Southern-style sandwiches.

Lemon tea snow with strawberry sauce: a light, airy gelatin dessert flavored with lemon and instant tea, beaten with egg whites into a cloud. Served with a warm-set strawberry-currant sauce. Retro Southern tearoom fare.

Southern sweet tea done right: sugar dissolved into a warm tea concentrate, steeped just briefly so it never turns bitter, then chilled and poured over ice. Smooth, sweet, and refreshing by the glass.

Ranch cornbread baked in a hot cast-iron skillet with diced ham, sharp cheddar, red bell pepper, and pimentos. A loaded Southern cornbread with crispy edges and savory filling.

Cajun-style crab boil with live blue crabs, corn on the cob, red potatoes, and tri-color peppers. A one-pot Southern seafood feast ready in 30 minutes that serves 4.

Cornmeal hoecake made with just cornmeal, water, and salt cooked on a hot greased griddle. A three-ingredient Southern flatbread with a crispy golden crust and soft cornmeal center.

Old-school sugar-cured ham dry rub: salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. A three-ingredient Southern heirloom mix for curing fresh ham the traditional way at home.

Yeast rolls from Minnie and Aunt Pete's, soft and tender homemade dinner rolls baked in muffin tins. A heirloom Southern recipe with egg whites for an extra-fluffy crumb.

Southern-style dried lima beans slow-simmered with smoked ham hock skin, bacon drippings, and a pinch of sugar until creamy and tender. Simple, smoky, old-fashioned comfort food.

Hearty red kidney beans and pintos slow-simmered with tomatoes, green chiles, and bell pepper in a thick, savory gravy. A budget-friendly Southern classic spooned over fluffy rice.

Texan fried pies stuffed with spiced dried apricot filling in a flaky, vinegar-laced pastry. Hand-held, golden-fried, and dusted with sugar. A classic Southern dessert from scratch.