| There is Southern Cooking and then there is | | | | extensively in Southern cooking. Some cooks, |
| SOUTHERN COOKING! You can follow a recipe and | | | | however, stray away form cooking real Southern |
| still come out with a dish that does not resemble what | | | | because they (or family members) do not like onions |
| the recipe intended. The reason is technique and the | | | | and/or concerns about the fat content in bacon. |
| little secrets that are not included in the recipe. | | | | They do this because they fail to understand the |
| Technique is as important as the ingredients and | | | | reason for using bacon and onions. They are NOT in |
| proper technique helps you avoid the following | | | | the recipe so that you taste onions or bacon. They are |
| common mistakes made by novice cooks. You can | | | | there only to provide subtle flavor. A unique Southern |
| find many free Southern recipes on the internet, but | | | | flavor. If you do not like onions, use only a small |
| few web sites provide the additional information | | | | amount and remove the onion from the dish before |
| needed to to be a real Southern cook. So when you | | | | serving (put onion in cheesecloth while cooking and it is |
| find a site that does, bookmark it and stick with it for | | | | easy to remove). If you are concerned about the |
| your Southern recipes. (See Resource Box below for | | | | calorie content of bacon, do not use whole bacon. Just |
| recommendation). | | | | add 1/2 tsp of grease from previously cooked bacon. |
| 7 Biggest Mistakes: | | | | And, accept the fact that Southern cooking is not |
| 1. Failure to Properly Preheat Oven When Baking. | | | | inherently low fat. It is meant to be flavorful and robust. |
| Have you ever made cornbread that came out soft | | | | So, use that bacon and onion for real Southern dishes. |
| and crumbly without a crust? Or biscuits that did not | | | | 5. Overworking Dough |
| rise and have a gray color? It was probably due to the | | | | Southern breads are meant to be light and fluffy. Even |
| fact that your oven was not properly preheated. | | | | cornbread should not be heavy and solid. Many |
| When baking, the crust is set in the first 10 minutes. So, | | | | Southern cooks never learn how to make good |
| if you want a nice, golden crust on your cornbread, be | | | | biscuits. And homemade Southern Biscuits are the |
| sure to get the oven up to 400 degrees before you | | | | trademark of good Southern cooks. |
| put the cornbread in. | | | | Three errors cause bad biscuits (and other breads). |
| Ovens vary in how long it takes to reach a given | | | | First, do not overwork the dough. Biscuit dough should |
| temperature. Some ovens will reach 400 degrees in | | | | only be kneaded three times. No more. Just enough to |
| 4-5 minutes. Some will take as long as 15 minutes. A | | | | shape it for cutting out the biscuits. |
| good practice is to get a thermometer (any food | | | | Second, when cutting the dough, do not push down |
| thermometer that goes up to 425 degrees will work) | | | | and twist the biscuit cutter. Push straight down and |
| and time how long it takes your oven to reach 250, | | | | straight back up. Twisting compacts the edges of the |
| 350, 400 and 425 degrees. Write it down and keep it | | | | dough and causes uneven cooking. |
| handy if you can not remember. Then always allow | | | | Third, remember the previous mistake above...preheat |
| the alloted time to reach the desired temperature | | | | your oven. A cold oven can result in flat, hard biscuits. |
| before beginning your baking. | | | | 6. Yellow Cornmeal and Sugar in cornbread |
| 2. Undercooked Vegetables | | | | Everyone has their own preference, but, please do not |
| Keep in mind we are talking about Southern cooking. | | | | use yellow cornmeal in cornbread. It may be mental, |
| Not Chinese or West Coast casseroles. Many | | | | but it just does not taste the same as white cornmeal. |
| vegetables, Southern Style, are cooked considerably | | | | Besides it looks funny. And, NEVER, NEVER put sugar |
| longer than most people tend to cook them. | | | | in cornbread if you want authentic Southern cornbread. |
| Specifically, green beans are cooked until soft and | | | | Cornbread is bread to accompany a meal. It is not |
| dark green in color. They are not crunchy and bright | | | | dessert. It is not cake! It is BREAD. So, if you like |
| green. Okra and green tomatoes, are cooked until | | | | sweet cornbread...go ahead and use your sugar...but, |
| some burned edges appear and are very crunchy. As | | | | do not call it Southern Cornbread! |
| a general rule boiled vegetables are cooked until very | | | | 7. Failure to Use buttermilk |
| tender and fried foods are cooked until crunchy (this | | | | All good Southern cooks use buttermilk in everything |
| goes for cornbread, fried chicken and pork chops, too). | | | | except desserts. Regular milk does not add the flavor |
| 3. Failure to Use Cast Iron | | | | that buttermilk does. Especially in any dish with |
| I have never researched all the reasons why, but | | | | cornmeal (cornbread, hush puppies, tamale pie, etc.). If |
| Southern cooking is best cooked in cast iron | | | | you do not have buttermilk, you can make a |
| cook-ware. The cast iron holds and transfers heat | | | | reasonable substitute by stirring 1 tablespoon of white |
| unlike any other type metal. Food just does not cook | | | | vinegar in a cup of regular milk. Allow to sit for a |
| the same in aluminum or steel. Especially cornbread. | | | | minute before use. |
| Besides, it is the traditional way to cook Southern. | | | | These are some of the most common mistakes (or |
| Older cast iron tends to have problems with rust and | | | | lack of Southern cooking technique) made in Southern |
| food sticking, but the newer cook-ware comes already | | | | cooking. You can ignore all of them and make eatable |
| cured (seasoned) so it is not as much a problem. | | | | food, but it will not be traditional Southern. Even some |
| However, it is not difficult to cure your cast iron if you | | | | good Southern cooks fail to comply with all the above, |
| have an older style. You can get complete, free | | | | but they have probably developed a variation of these |
| instructions in the web referrals below. | | | | same techniques. |
| 4. Failure to Use Onions and Bacon | | | | So, get in that kitchen, fire up the stove and make your |
| Onions and bacon (or bacon grease) are used | | | | family a real Southern dinner tonight. |