Fried Jalapeño Cornbread (Hot Water Cornbread)

These crispy, addictive fritters are a great accompaniment to chili.

Frying in oil gives this cornbread a crispy exterior and a creamy interior. Courtesy of Stacy Lyn Harris

If the oil isn’t hot enough, the batter will absorb the oil, and you won’t get that crunchy exterior and creamy interior. Also, I strongly recommend that you make two batches—they disappear as you make them!

Serves 10

• 2 cups self-rising cornmeal
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
• 2 to 2 1/2 cups boiling water
• 1/4 cup bacon drippings, for frying
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil, for frying

In a medium-sized bowl, mix cornmeal, salt, jalapeño, and water together. You'll want the consistency of thick cake batter. If it is too dry, add a little more hot water.

In a cast iron skillet, heat bacon drippings and oil until almost smoking. You will know that the oil is hot when a few drops of water sizzle when dropped into the skillet.

Drop 2 tablespoons of cornmeal mixture into the oil and brown until golden crust forms around the edges of the cornbread, about 2 minutes. Then turn and brown until cornbread is golden on the outside. Add more oil and/or bacon drippings if the skillet becomes too dry. Remove to a paper towel to drain and serve hot.

Recipe excerpted from “Love Language of the South: A Celebration of the Food, the Hospitality, and the Stories of My Southern Home“ by Stacy Lyn Harris. Copyright 2024. Used with permission from Worthy Books, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.