Andouille Sausage Hush Puppies
Hush Puppies originated in the US South.
Deep fried foods are something not routinely on my diet and to be honest, I was a little intimidated by using a deep fryer. My parents had one when I was growing up and I recall my dad getting splashed with hot grease one time while frying some shrimp. It was a scary moment, however, the shrimp were delicious and my dad was not severely injured beyond his pride. But still, it left an indelible impression.
Several years ago, My Number One Fan gave me a Presto Fry Daddy as a Christmas gift and one Fat Tuesday (the day that Mardi Gras and its associated debauchery ends), I decided to pull it off the shelf and make some Hush Puppies.
Hush Puppies are fritters, the latter of which is generally considered to be anything that is batter dipped and deep fried. The defining characteristic of a Hush Puppy is that it contains buttermilk.
There is some debate of the origination of the name, but it is known the expression "hush puppy" was used by British soldiers in the 18th Century as an expression to cover something up, like turning a blind eye to the commission of a crime such as smuggling.
Some postulate that the Hush Puppy was so named because it was used in the pre-Civil War era by escaped slaves from the South to quiet hound dogs that were on their trail, but this version has never been authenticated.
Make It Easier on Yourself
It’s fine to omit the andouille sausage if you wish without any other alterations to the recipe. I encourage you to invest in a simple 1-inch cookie scoop. It will give you more consistency in the size of your Hush Puppies and keep them in a spherical shape. I’ve tried using two teaspoons and it doesn’t work well, makes for a scraggly appearance and it takes too long.
These are delicious little morsels that work well as hors d’oeuvres for your guests prior to sitting down to a plate of Étouffée or Shrimp Creole on the eve of Ash Wednesday. It’s highly recommended to accompany Hush Puppies when served as hors d’oeuvres with Kitchen Tapestry recipes for Cajun Mayo or Remoulade Sauce.
Andouille Sausage Hush Puppies
Ingredients
- 1- 1/2 cups fine or medium grind cornmeal (like, Bob's Red Mill)
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1- 1/4 tbsp baking powder (like, Clabber Girl)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup dried minced onion
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2/3 cup beer (either a pale ale or pilsner)
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup finely diced cooked Andouille sausage (about 2 links)
- 4 cups vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Stir together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and sausage in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the egg, beer, buttermilk, water and dried onion. Allow to sit for thirty minutes so the onions can reconstitute.
- If you are using a deep fryer, like a Presto Fry Daddy, pour the 4 cups of oil into the fryer (it should go to the MAX line); plug in the unit and allow 15 minutes for the oil to come to a temperature of 375°F.
- If you don't have a deep fryer, use a Dutch oven with an attached thermometer with 3 inches of oil, heated and maintained at 375°F.
- Combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Let stand 10 minutes.
- Using a 1-inch cookie scoop, or a couple of ice tea spoons, drop batter into hot oil, and fry in batches of 5-7 hush puppies, about 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on a wire rack over paper towels. Dust with a little sea salt as you bring them out of the fryer.
- Keep warm in a 200°F oven until ready to serve.
Notes
- Deep Frying is inherently dangerous. Keep your eye on the food while it is frying and never leave a fryer unattended.
- If you're using a Dutch oven, buy the kind of food thermometer that will attach to the side of the pot to give you a constant read on the oil temperature.
- Serve with Kitchen Tapestry's recipe for Cajun Mayo on the side.
