| You can find hundreds of recipes for Southern | | | | pre-heating the oven) before you add the ingredients. |
| Cooking on the internet, but what they fail to tell you is | | | | Regular Milk vs. Buttermilk: |
| the techniques needed to turn those recipes into real | | | | In most situations, when a recipe calls for milk, in |
| southern dishes. | | | | Southern cooking, you would use buttermilk. You |
| On the subject of Southern recipes, I'm sorry to say | | | | should always use buttermilk for your cornbread and |
| that what is often represented as a Southern recipe, is | | | | biscuits. It provides a unique flavor that screams |
| not. For instance, when you see a recipe for Southern | | | | "Southern". Here's a tip: if you do not keep buttermilk |
| cornbread that includes sugar, that is NOT Southern. I | | | | on hand (I don't), you can make your own by adding |
| lived all my life in the South and traveled the world but | | | | about a spoon of white vinegar to a cup of regular |
| have never met a Southerner that puts sugar in | | | | milk. Stir and let sit about a minute. You will have a |
| cornbread. We call that "Yankee" cornbread. That is | | | | substitute buttermilk for cooking purposes (I do not |
| cake, not cornbread. | | | | recommend drinking....although I have never tried it). |
| Back to the subject at hand, assuming you have real | | | | Cooking Time: |
| Southern recipes, you can still wind up with a dish that | | | | Many Southern dishes (mostly vegetables) are cooked |
| is not truly Southern if you do not employ Southern | | | | much longer than you would find in restaurants or |
| cooking techniques. You may produce something that | | | | homes in other parts of the country. Specifically, green |
| is good but the technique makes it more than good, it | | | | beans, okra, turnip greens, mustard and collards. |
| makes it special. | | | | Vegetables cooked Southern style are NOT bright |
| Cooking Method: | | | | colored and crunchy (like Chinese stir fry). They are |
| Southerners fry more of their dishes than any other | | | | tender and flavorful. An exception to the "crunchy" |
| people I know. Therefore, for the most part, Southern | | | | observation is fried okra. Okra is cooked until nearly |
| cooking is not low fat. However, you can lessen the | | | | burned. It is coated with cornmeal and is, indeed, |
| fat content with the choice of cooking oil you use. If | | | | crunchy. On the other hand, other vegetables such as |
| this is a concern, don't use animal fats, lard or | | | | green beans are cooked around two hours until they |
| saturated oils. I generally use corn or safflower oil. | | | | are tender and dark green in color. |
| Believe it or not, with dishes that do not require high | | | | Seasoning: |
| temperatures, I use olive oil. The point here is to just be | | | | This is one of the most important techniques that |
| prepared to fry a lot with Southern cooking. | | | | distinguishes Southern cooking from other styles. Spicy |
| Cookware: | | | | (hot) flavors are seldom used except for cajun |
| Traditional Southern cooking calls for cast iron. You | | | | cooking, which is a style of cooking all it's own. Onion, |
| should obtain an 8 and 10 inch skillet and medium pot | | | | bacon and salt are used extensively for seasoning. All |
| for your cookware. Cast iron is inexpensive and can | | | | greens, black eyed peas, green beans, most anything |
| frequently be found at thrift stores for two or three | | | | cooked by boiling in water, is seasoned with salt, a |
| dollars, if you have one near you. | | | | chunk of onion and a slice of bacon (or bacon |
| The cast iron retains heat a long time and burns | | | | drippings). |
| fingers readily. But it transfers heat like no other | | | | While not a technique, it is important to combine certain |
| material. You must "cure" or "season" your cast iron | | | | foods to produce a traditional Southern meal. |
| before using or you will have a problem with sticking | | | | Combinations of the following are typical. Fried chicken, |
| and rust. While the manufacturers instructions for | | | | fried pork chops, greens (turnip, mustard, collards), black |
| curing are inadequate, they will do. Never use anything | | | | eyed peas, fried okra, cornbread and green beans. So, |
| but cast iron for cornbread and never cook anything | | | | for a real Southern treat, get an authenic Southern |
| but cornbread in your "cornbread skillet". For most | | | | recipe, follow these techniques and watch your family |
| recipes, you will want to heat the cast iron (like | | | | ask for more. |