Bacon & Shrimp Hush Puppies with Smoked Chili Mayo
Yield
makes about 2 dozen
RECIPE Ingredients
- 10 slices Uncured Hickory Smoked Bacon
- 2 cups fine cornmeal
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ cups buttermilk, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- 4 tablespoons Black Truffle Butter, melted
- 1½ cups (about 1/3 pound) chopped cooked shrimp
- ½ cup fresh sweet corn kernels, blanched
- High smoke point oil, for frying (we used half peanut oil, half Duck Fat)
- Flake salt
Smoked Chili Mayo
- 6 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon chili sauce
- 1½ teaspoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Recipe notes
Flecked with hickory smoked bacon, these flavorful hush puppies fry up crisp and surprisingly light. They’re an excellent party food and make a great summer side dish for steaks, barbecue, and fish.
RECIPE Preparation
- Line a rimmed sheet pan with a few layers of paper towels, set aside.
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Drain then chop as finely as possible. Tip: Pulsing the bacon in a food processor makes quick work of this task.
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
- In large mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and a few grinds of black pepper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and melted truffle butter; pour into the cornmeal mixture and stir to combine. Stir in shrimp, corn kernels, and chopped bacon. Let mixture rest while you preheat 3” of oil to 350 degrees F in a medium Dutch oven or other heavy pot.
- Using a cookie/ice cream scoop, carefully scoop balls about 1½” in diameter into the oil. Fry hush puppies in small batches until chestnut brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes each batch, turning as needed. Place cooked hush puppies on the prepared sheet pan and sprinkle with flake salt. Keep warm in the oven until all dough is cooked.
- For the smoked chili mayo: In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili sauce, chili powder, paprika, and cayenne; season with salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning, add additional chili sauce if desired.
- Serve hush puppies warm with smoked chili mayo on the side.
