Old Fashioned Hot Water Cornbread

Enjoy these little medallions with collard greens, purple hull peas, fried catfish, soup, chili, and the list goes on!

GRANNY'S OLD FASHIONED HOT WATER CORNBREAD

Old Fashioned Hot Water Cornbread just like Grandma used to make.  Hot Water Cornbread is more about the feel of the batter than a precise measurement.  The main thing is to get the right consistency with the hot water and the cornmeal mixture.

Making Old Fashioned Hot Water Cornbread is more about the feel of the batter than a precise measurement.  

The main thing is to get the right consistency with the water and cornmeal mixture.

Mother was a walking cookbook, and this was one of those recipes she had in her head. 

I wished I had asked her to write down so many of her recipes.  

One day, after we had finished a meal of Fried Okra, Peas, and Hot Water Cornbread,  

I did ask her to tell me how she made this Southern golden goodness.  

She said, "You use plain cornmeal and a little salt--no baking powder."  Boil some water and add it to the cornmeal mixed with a little salt until it combines enough to spoon into a skillet of hot grease.  

I like a mixture of bacon grease and oil.

There are so many ways you can serve this Southern golden goodness.  

My husband's favorite is with Fried Catfish.  

You just take a small spoon and make them into little round hush puppies.  

My favorite is to make them into a patty shape by using a larger spoon, dropping them into the hot grease, and eating them with some peas--like I did with these Fresh Lady Cream Peas.

WHERE CAN I FIND THE RECIPE?  TAKE ME TO THE RECIPE FOR HOT WATER CORNBREAD

Below, under the next heading, I will list preferred ingredients, tips, and cooking instructions for the hot water cornbread and similar recipe ideas you can have.

Or you can scroll down to the bottom, where you will find a full printable recipe card with amounts of the ingredients and complete instructions with notes.

TIPS AND TIDBITS TO MAKE THE BEST HOT WATER CORNBREAD

Cornmeal. Although white cornmeal can be used, I prefer yellow cornmeal. You can substitute a yellow self-rising cornmeal mix for the yellow cornmeal and omit the salt.  If you like it a little sweet, add a couple of tablespoons of sugar.

Hot water. Add the boiling water a little at a time, making sure to add only enough to thicken the batter sufficiently and come together enough to slide out of the spoon and not pour out of the spoon. It can change from a tablespoon at a time.  

Handling.  The Hot Water Cornbread will be really tender if you try to avoid handling the cornmeal mixture with your hand too much. Wet your hands with hot/warm water in between spooning them!  Add a couple of tablespoons of sugar if you like it sweet. 

Cornmeal batter.  If you are too afraid of the hot spooned cornmeal in your hand, drop/slide the spoon full of cornmeal mixture straight into the hot oil against the side of the skillet to avoid the hot oil splashing. Then, gently move the spooned cornbread to the center of the skillet with the back of the spoon to add more along the side.

Bacon grease.  A couple of tablespoons of bacon grease adds a lot of flavor when added to the oil.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE HOT WATER CORNBREAD

Yellow cornmeal

Salt

Vegetable oil

Bacon grease

HOW TO MAKE HOT WATER CORNBREAD

Heat enough oil in a large iron skillet or heavy bottom skillet on high heat.  (Oil needs to come a 1/3 to 1/2 of the way up the side of the skillet.)

Mix cornmeal and salt in a medium bowl (like a batter bowl with a handle).  

Stir in enough boiling hot water that the cornmeal mixture comes together enough to slide out of the spoon and not pour out of the spoon (not too thick and not too thin, kinda like creamy mashed potatoes).

When the oil in the skillet is hot but not smoking, spoon the hot cornmeal mixture in your hands, which has been dipped in hot/warm water, and then gently place the cornbread patty in the hot oil.  

Fry each in hot oil, turning once, until crisp and golden brown, about 5 minutes. 

Drain on paper towels.  Wait 5-10 minutes before serving. 

WHERE YOU MAY SEE THIS RECIPE

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Originally published July 2011.  Updated July 2023.