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With the cost of groceries skyrocketing, we’re all looking for creative and delicious meals that don’t break the bank. But this isn’t the first time in history that times were tough, foodwise.
The early colonial settlers and pioneers in the 1800s knew how to make their food stretch. And they used a lot of creativity to create meals that were as delicious and nutritious as possible. They needed plenty of calories to support their physical lifestyles.
So they learned to make meals out of whatever was on hand. Corn dodgers are one of those meals that came out of the early 1800s. They’re so tasty and made with just a few simple ingredients, so they’re definitely worth making today!
There are a lot of explanations for where corn dodgers, sometimes called corn dodgers and even hush puppies, came from. They’re often eaten in the south, but one story claims they were made for the soldiers in the American civil war to carry with them. Other stories say they were only fit for the horses.
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But what exactly are corn dodgers?
A corn dodger is a small cornbread-like cake that is fried. They are typically made of cornmeal, milk or water, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Then they’re fried in bacon grease, pork fat, or vegetable oil.
Of course, if times are really tight, you can make them with just cornbread and water, then fry them with whatever type of fat you have on hand. Some folks even use the water from their collard greens to make their corn dodgers more savory. But here’s how I made them.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
The steps are easy!
1. Heat the milk and salt slowly in a cast iron pot over medium heat. Heat the milk until just before the boiling point, gently stirring.
2. Reduce the heat and add the corn meal and sugar a little bit at a time, stirring well. Cook until it begins to thicken.
3. Remove from heat and quickly stir in the baking powder.
4. Allow your dough to rest for about 5 minutes.
5. Melt oil in your skillet.
6. Drop batter by spoonfuls into the oil and fry for ten minutes per side. I formed mine into small pancakes. Dodgers are cooked when they are light brown and crispy on the outside.
Serving Ideas
You can serve up these tasty morsels just like you would traditional cornbread, but they taste best hot and fresh from the pan!
I love them with a dollop of butter and strawberry jam. You could also drizzle them with honey and cinnamon, cover them with gravy, or serve them as a side to your favorite soup or stew.
Cooking Tips
- Try not to scald the milk when you are heating it. Or skip the milk and just use water.
- You can forgo the sugar, especially if you are serving the corn dodgers with gravy or stew.
- Dodgers are a little bit fragile when they first start cooking. For best results, use a stiff, metal spatula for flipping, so they don’t fall apart.
- You can press your batter into a small bread pan and chill overnight. Then, cut the chilled dough into ¼ squares to make a neater biscuit.
- If you don’t want to fry your corn dodgers, you can cook them in a dutch oven set in hot coals. Just watch for the edges to become brown and crispy.
As a Survival Food
You can make corn dodgers and easy survival or bug-out food, too. Corn meal is light and easy to carry with you. Just pack a little cornmeal, salt, and baking powder along with a lightweight skillet in your bugout bag. Boil water in your skillet, then add your cornmeal, salt, and baking powder. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and fry them up in the skillet with whatever oil or fat you have with you.
Final Thoughts on Corn Dodgers
After I fried up my corn dodgers, I served them with a little butter and some strawberry jam, and my family just gobbled them up. They were like little bites of cornbread with a little magic on top – crispy on the outside, warm and soft on the inside. And all around delicious.
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