Joanna Gaines' Hush Puppies with Homemade Tartar Sauce

Hush Puppies with Homemade Tartar Sauce

byJoanna Gaines
Total 1 hour and 40 minutes includes cooling time
Active 40 mins
Makes 4 servings
"When hush puppies are cut too large, they tend to end up with what my kids call "mushy middles." I prefer to cut them on the smaller side, so they'll keep a firm consistency all the way through. Hush puppies are delicious on their own, but I can't imagine serving fried fish without them. On those occasions, I'll have a plate prepped and ready to fry right before dinnertime so I can serve them my favorite way—piping hot." – Joanna Gaines, Magnolia Table, Volume 3
Ingredients
Tartar Sauce
  • ¾ cup mayonnaise
  • 5 tablespoons dill pickle relish
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
  • 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1½ teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Kosher salt
Hush Puppies
  • Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
  • 1½ cups cornmeal
  • 1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup finely diced onion
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • I cup whole-milk buttermilk
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
  • Lemon wedges, for serving
    Directions
    1. To make the tartar sauce: In a medium bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, relish, dill, onion flakes, lemon juice, pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
    2. To make the hush puppies: Pour about 2 inches of oil into a Dutch oven. Have ready a baking sheet lined with paper towels to use for draining. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F on a deep-fry thermometer.
    3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, corn, flour, onion, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, baking soda, onion powder, and sugar. Add the buttermilk and egg and mix together until just fully combined.
    4. Using a small (2-tablespoon) scoop, scoop 6 balls of the batter into the hot oil and fry for 1½ minutes. Flip and cook until dark golden brown, crispy, and cooked throughout, about 1½ more minutes. Place the cooked hush puppies on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining batter. Garnish with parsley and serve with lemon wedges and chilled tartar sauce.
    5. Store hush puppies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Store tartar sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.