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Hoecakes

By Bryan Roof

Published on March 30, 2015

Time

45 minutes

Yield

Makes 16 hoecakes

Hoecakes

Ingredients

3 cups (15 ounces) white cornmeal 2 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 ½ teaspoons salt 2 cups buttermilk 2 large eggs 2 tablespoons bacon fat or vegetable oil

Before You Begin

Papa KayJoe’s makes their hoecakes with bacon fat.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet and place in oven. Whisk cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in large bowl. Beat buttermilk and eggs together in separate bowl. Whisk buttermilk mixture into cornmeal mixture until combined.
  2. FOR A SKILLET: Heat 1 teaspoon fat in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Using level 1/4-cup dry measuring cup, drop 3 evenly spaced scoops of batter into skillet, smoothing tops slightly if necessary.FOR A GRIDDLE: Heat 1 tablespoon fat on 400-degree nonstick griddle until shimmering. Using level 1/4-cup dry measuring cup, drop 8 evenly spaced scoops of batter onto griddle, smoothing tops slightly if necessary.
  3. Cook until small bubbles begin to appear on surface of cakes and edges are set, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until second side is golden brown, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer hoecakes to prepared sheet in oven. Repeat with remaining fat and batter: 5 additional batches for skillet or 1 additional batch for griddle. Serve.

Time

45 minutes

Yield

Makes 16 hoecakes

Ingredients

3 cups (15 ounces) white cornmeal
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons bacon fat or vegetable oil

Ingredients

3 cups (15 ounces) white cornmeal
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons bacon fat or vegetable oil

Ingredients

3 cups (15 ounces) white cornmeal
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons bacon fat or vegetable oil

Why This Recipe Works

Hoecakes can be served on their own (with butter and syrup) or, in this case, as the perfect vehicle for our Tennessee Pulled Pork. A loose batter with plenty of tangy buttermilk flavor gives the hoecakes a light texture, and the cornmeal makes them sturdy enough to hold up to a sandwich filling. Frying them in bacon fat adds a nice hit of smoky pork richness.

Before You Begin

Papa KayJoe’s makes their hoecakes with bacon fat.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet and place in oven. Whisk cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in large bowl. Beat buttermilk and eggs together in separate bowl. Whisk buttermilk mixture into cornmeal mixture until combined.
  2. FOR A SKILLET: Heat 1 teaspoon fat in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Using level 1/4-cup dry measuring cup, drop 3 evenly spaced scoops of batter into skillet, smoothing tops slightly if necessary.FOR A GRIDDLE: Heat 1 tablespoon fat on 400-degree nonstick griddle until shimmering. Using level 1/4-cup dry measuring cup, drop 8 evenly spaced scoops of batter onto griddle, smoothing tops slightly if necessary.
  3. Cook until small bubbles begin to appear on surface of cakes and edges are set, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until second side is golden brown, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer hoecakes to prepared sheet in oven. Repeat with remaining fat and batter: 5 additional batches for skillet or 1 additional batch for griddle. Serve.

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