Pimento Cheese Hushpuppies

MATT TAYLOR-GROSS

Published on July 11, 2016

At Lillie's Q, hushpuppies—little cornbread fritters you could eat like popcorn—get a dose of zesty pimento cheese for extra richness.

Featured in: 4 Barbecue Side Dishes to Bring Home, No Smoker Required

Ingredients

For the Pimento Cheese

³⁄₄ cup grated sharp yellow cheddar, at room temperature
1 whole pickled jalapeño, minced
¹⁄₂ 6-oz. jar pimentos, drained and chopped
pinches Kosher salt
pinches white or black pepper
pinches ground cayenne
3 tbsp. mayonnaise

For the Hushpuppies

³⁄₄ cup plus 2 Tbsp. cornmeal
¹⁄₂ cup plus 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 ¹⁄₂ tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. Kosher salt
¹⁄₂ tsp. black pepper
3 oz. beer
1 egg
¹⁄₄ cup minced scallions
1 ¹⁄₂ oz. jarred pimentos, drained
2 tbsp. pimento cheese (recipe above)
¹⁄₃ cup aged shredded white cheddar
7 cups canola oil, for frying

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Instructions

Step 1

In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, and pepper.

Step 2

In a separate large bowl, whisk the beer and egg until frothy. Add the scallions, pimentos, pimento cheese, and cheddar and stir to combine.

Step 3

Add the beer and cheese mixture to the dry ingredients in batches, stirring to combine. Let stand one hour.

Step 4

Add the canola oil to a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven and preheat to 350° using a deep-fat thermometer. Scoop 2-tablespoon balls of the batter into the oil a few at a time. Fry, turning occasionally as needed with a slotted spoon, until golden brown on the outside and just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve warm, with the extra pimento cheese for dipping.