Weekend Recipe: Hoecakes
These cornmeal pancakes are a southern favorite. Simply serve them with butter and syrup or eat them as Tennessee Pulled Pork Sandwiches. For the real deal, Cook's Country suggests using bacon fat on the griddle, just like they do at Papa KayJoe's in Centerville, Tennessee.
Hoecakes
Makes 16
3 cups (15 ounces) white cornmeal
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons bacon fat or vegetable oil
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.
For the 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.
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.