Southern Hot Water Cornbread - Cowboy Kent Rollins
Ingredients
2cupsyellow cornmeal
1 ½teaspoonssalt
1tablespooncooled bacon greaselard or shortening
2cupsboiling water
1roasted Hatch green chilechopped (or 1, 4-ounce can chopped green chiles)
4slicesthick-cut bacon, chopped
Oil for frying
Instructions
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal and salt. Stir in the bacon grease, lard or shortening and lightly cut it in with a spoon until combined. Slowly stir in the boiling water.
Stir the mixture until it reaches a Cream of Wheat consistency. You may need to add more water to achieve this.
Stir in the green chiles and bacon.
In a large cast iron skillet, pour the oil until it reaches about halfway up the sides. Heat to about 350 degrees. F.
With a large spoon, spoon out about ¼ cup of the dough into your hands and form into a patty. Place the dough in the oil, a few patties at a time. When the sides being to brown, flip the dough over and continue cooking until golden brown and crispy.
Drain on a paper towel or wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
To keep the dough from sticking to your hands while forming into patties, wet your hands slightly with water.