Okay, here’s my attempt at a blog post, channeling my inner seasoned, down-to-earth blogger, and focusing on the process:
Alright, folks, let’s dive into this Long John Silver’s hush puppy adventure! I’ve always loved those little crispy, golden nuggets of goodness, and I figured, “Why not try to make them at home?” So, I rolled up my sleeves and got to work. I’m not gonna lie, it took a couple of tries, but I think I’ve cracked the code. Here is my full steps:
Gathering My Arsenal
First things first, I needed to gather my ingredients. I’m a big believer in keeping things simple, so I went with the basics:
- Cornmeal: The heart and soul of any good hush puppy,give the flavor I like.
- Flour: For some binding action.
- Sugar: Just a touch, to balance out the savory.
- Baking powder: To get that light and fluffy texture. I put a lot!
- Baking soda: I read somewhere that added baking soda can make it more fluffy.
- Salt: Gotta season things up!
- Onion: Finally chopped. The secret ingredient, I think, for that signature Long John Silver’s flavor.
- Buttermilk: Adds moisture and a bit of tang.
- Egg: To help everything stick together.
- Oil: For frying, of course! I use vegetable oil.
The Mixing Mayhem
Next up, mixing! I started by whisking together all the dry ingredients in a big bowl. Gotta make sure everything is evenly distributed, you know? Then, in a separate bowl, I whisked the buttermilk and egg together.I really try to make it work!
I slowly poured the wet ingredients into the dry, mixing gently with a spatula. The key here is not to overmix. A few lumps are totally fine. Overmixing means tough hush puppies, and nobody wants that. I also add the onion to the batter at this point.
The Frying Frenzy
Now for the fun part! I heated up about 2 inches of oil in my trusty deep fryer. A heavy-bottomed pot works great too. You want the oil to be hot, around 350°F .A candy thermometer helps, but you can also test it by dropping a tiny bit of batter in. If it sizzles and floats, you’re good to go.
I used a small cookie scoop to drop rounded tablespoons of batter into the hot oil. Don’t overcrowd the pot, or the oil temperature will drop, and you’ll end up with greasy hush puppies.I fry them a small batch once.
I fried the hush puppies for about 2-3 minutes per side, until they were golden brown and crispy.I like the deep brown color. I flipped them with a slotted spoon to make sure they cooked * smells so good when I fired them!
The Taste Test Triumph
Once they were cooked, I removed the hush puppies from the oil and placed them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain off any excess * finally taste them.I have to taste many times to adjust the detail.
And there you have it! Homemade hush puppies that are pretty darn close to the Long John Silver’s version. They’re crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and packed with flavor. I like to serve them with some tartar sauce or cocktail sauce for * best when it’s hot!
It might take a little practice to get the hang of it, but trust me, it’s worth it. So go ahead, give it a try, and let me know how it turns out!Enjoy my hush puppies!
