Southern Cuisine.

[Bugman]

Recently I got a PM from an overseas member curious about what we eat here in Texas, and across the South in general. In response to his inquiry, and since Texas is what I know best, I'll start here. If any fellow Southerners would like to add some local or regional favorites please feel free.

Houston, Dallas, Austin and perhaps to a lesser extent San Antonio are home to large immigrant communities from around the world, and cuisine from almost any culture one might want to sample is available.

When the topic shifts to traditional dishes I break them down into the following categories: Barbecue. Chili. Tex-Mex. Soul Food. Comfort Food. Seafood.

With all due respect to the residents of Kansas City, the Carolinas and many states and cities around the country, in Texas we feel nobody does barbecue better. The fine art of cooking meat over fire is a revered skill here, and the high priests of that art are the pit masters. Usually (but not always) men, the pit master can be a professional like those found at Black's, Kreuz Market or Franklin's, just to name a few, or your neighbor presiding over a weekend cookout.

And as the culture in Texas varies by region so it is with barbecue. In East and Central Texas, pork ribs are favored over the beef ribs found in the western part of the state. Central Texas was settled in large part by immigrants from Germany and Eastern Europe so sausages are a favorite. Pork loin and beef brisket are always on the menu and for the health conscious turkey is gaining in popularity.

Some Texas prefer to slather their barbecue with sauces. These recipes are often closely held family secret's, passed down from generation to generation and seldom written down. East Texans tend to prefer sweeter, ketchup based sauces. Moving west tangy, vinegar based sauces are favored.

Tomorrow I'll tackle chili.

 

[milagros317]

This should be a very interesting thread, in that I love good food.

 

[rdhd]

Barbeque (bar-b-que, bar b q, and other variants) could be a thread unto itself, with many areas of the U.S. arguing about their way of doing it. For me, there was a place in Midland, Texas (on the "wrong side of the tracks", and for which the whites had a fond name) that was top notch - the ribs were great, and their hot sauce (which you couldn't take out of the joint) was, well.....

Chili - another thread.... Gotta admit, anything from the southwest is tops (Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, guess we'll include California). All meat? Beans OK? What kind of chili, and from where? I'm partial to New Mexico - went to college there, got ingrained into chili from the "Mexicans" there (had many great friends). And some - depending on how well they liked you, meant how hot the chili you got. If they liked you, you got their best, hot stuff. And at that time, it wasn't habanero (or however you spell it).

As for Georgia, seems one of the big things is collard greens. Never had 'em, never intend to. Guess they're a bit like cooked spinach, but, just no great need to try them, not to mention no one else in the family will touch 'em either, so.... I know there's other things on the Georgia-south end of the country that are well-liked, but I have no knowledge of (I'm not native Georgian).

 

[Bugman]

This should be a very interesting thread, in that I love good food.

Yes, I've seen you attack a few poor, innocent plates of food. 😛

Barbeque (bar-b-que, bar b q, and other variants) could be a thread unto itself, with many areas of the U.S. arguing about their way of doing it. For me, there was a place in Midland, Texas (on the "wrong side of the tracks", and for which the whites had a fond name) that was top notch - the ribs were great, and their hot sauce (which you couldn't take out of the joint) was, well.....

Chili - another thread.... Gotta admit, anything from the southwest is tops (Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, guess we'll include California). All meat? Beans OK? What kind of chili, and from where? I'm partial to New Mexico - went to college there, got ingrained into chili from the "Mexicans" there (had many great friends). And some - depending on how well they liked you, meant how hot the chili you got. If they liked you, you got their best, hot stuff. And at that time, it wasn't habanero (or however you spell it).

As for Georgia, seems one of the big things is collard greens. Never had 'em, never intend to. Guess they're a bit like cooked spinach, but, just no great need to try them, not to mention no one else in the family will touch 'em either, so.... I know there's other things on the Georgia-south end of the country that are well-liked, but I have no knowledge of (I'm not native Georgian).

Having lived in New Mexico you must know a thing or two about green chili. That's something I know about only by word of mouth, no pun intended. Never had a chance to try it.

Collard greens. Got home from work one day to find my roommate cooking up a batch. The smell alone drove me outside. Never had any desire to taste it.

I planned on discussing Texas chili tonight, but it will have to wait until tomorrow.

 

[rdhd]

Yeh, let's leave the collard greens be......

 

[rdhd]

and mac and cheese for Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts.....

 

[Tenebrae]

Hahaha, what an excellent thread indeed! Food is an integral part of culture, IMO, and it fits nicely into your global project of introducing us to the Southern culture.

I already loved barbecue before I read this post, but I am literally drooling at your description! Makes me want to go to the USA all the more, haha I think the presence of German immigration is something that most people overlook when thinking about your country. Glad they brought their sausages along. I am also quite partial towards the hot flavors, so I think that Texas will be high on my priority list when I next travel to the land of the free I like the idea of traditional recipes that end up being family secrets. That's awesome! Which reminds me of a certain drawing by ftkl, but I cannot post it here because it is copyrighted. I am sure you guys know which one I mean... 🙄

A few questions if I may: what do you guys usually drink with that? Do you have local beers or wine to accompany all that delicious meat? Also, how about breakfast? Could you describe what a typical southern breakfast would be? Is it similar to the English "full" or does it have important local variants?

Thank you so much for this post!

 

[EBunbury]

When I moved to Texas I discovered real barbecue. Living in Louisiana, barbecue was mostly ribs and chicken, done in the backyard over charcoal, and slathered with homemade sauce. The sauce was usually thick with chopped onion, vinegary and somewhat spicy. I liked the chicken, but found the ribs in the '60s and '70s to be too fatty. The greens we got in the public schools were spinach or turnip greens, and both were beyond nasty.

But out around Houston, and Bryan, and Austin, Texas, I discovered the culinary masterpiece that is smoked brisket. Lean. Dry-rubbed. Sometimes done at home, but more often at a little hole-in-the-wall 'cue shack, smoked in a brick pit or a smoker welded together from 55-gallon drums, over oak, with a bit of hickory for flavour. I hear that way out west, they use mesquite. If a place was good, the line would be there before they opened, and until they sold out for the day. Dine-in or carry-out in styrofoam shells. Sliced brisket served over a slice of white bread, with barbecue pinto beans, potato salad, and pickles - they were essential. Sauce was available, and good; not sweet, not vinegary, just smoky and perfect. But if the pitmaster knew the art, the sauce was almost superfluous. Just dip your fork in it before picking up a bite of meat, that's all you need. Pecan pie for desert, or maybe bread pudding. There's only one acceptable beverage, but it changes from county to county. Beers - Shiner Bock, Lone Star, or Corona. Ice tea. (There's no "d" on the end of that first word and, "Of course it has sugar! Where're you from, anyway?") Carbonated Drinks - Dr. Pepper (it's from Texas, after all), RC Cola, or Coca Cola.

I never met an acceptable green until I moved off the Gulf Coast. Down there we tend to boil 'em to death and serve the corpses. Then I moved to where they know how to cook collards; cook 'em 'til they're tender, but not down to mush, and brighten 'em up with white vinegar. I like to throw in a good handful of smoked almonds, myself.

Texas was happily multicultural for years before that became a "thing". I fell in love with Czechoslovakian kolache pastries in New Braunfels. At a college in Central Texas I met a young lady whose family had been Russian nobility under Tsar Nicholas II; she showed me family pictures of her grandmother with Tatiana and Anastasia. They now lived in Houston, and had ranch land down along the border. They invited me out to their ranch one weekend for fajitas. There was a fajita restaurant in town, but they used beef; she insisted the only true fajita was skirt steak from a goat. They butchered the goat, marinated the meat in a Zip-Loc baggie in Russian dressing, grilled it over mesquite, made homemade tortillas from masa, and we made up fajitas with meat, beans, pico de gallo, guacamole, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, served with Corona beer, Dr. Pepper, or red wine, with homemade fried ice cream for desert.

Bugman, thanks for starting this thread!

 

[milagros317]

Yes, I've seen you attack a few poor, innocent plates of food. 😛

Indeed, I have been known to devour such plates entirely.

 

[Gothika]

dr pepper is the national drink of texas 😛

 

[Bugman]

When I moved to Texas I discovered real barbecue. Living in Louisiana, barbecue was mostly ribs and chicken, done in the backyard over charcoal, and slathered with homemade sauce. The sauce was usually thick with chopped onion, vinegary and somewhat spicy. I liked the chicken, but found the ribs in the '60s and '70s to be too fatty. The greens we got in the public schools were spinach or turnip greens, and both were beyond nasty.

But out around Houston, and Bryan, and Austin, Texas, I discovered the culinary masterpiece that is smoked brisket. Lean. Dry-rubbed. Sometimes done at home, but more often at a little hole-in-the-wall 'cue shack, smoked in a brick pit or a smoker welded together from 55-gallon drums, over oak, with a bit of hickory for flavour. I hear that way out west, they use mesquite. If a place was good, the line would be there before they opened, and until they sold out for the day. Dine-in or carry-out in styrofoam shells. Sliced brisket served over a slice of white bread, with barbecue pinto beans, potato salad, and pickles - they were essential. Sauce was available, and good; not sweet, not vinegary, just smoky and perfect. But if the pitmaster knew the art, the sauce was almost superfluous. Just dip your fork in it before picking up a bite of meat, that's all you need. Pecan pie for desert, or maybe bread pudding. There's only one acceptable beverage, but it changes from county to county. Beers - Shiner Bock, Lone Star, or Corona. Ice tea. (There's no "d" on the end of that first word and, "Of course it has sugar! Where're you from, anyway?") Carbonated Drinks - Dr. Pepper (it's from Texas, after all), RC Cola, or Coca Cola.

I never met an acceptable green until I moved off the Gulf Coast. Down there we tend to boil 'em to death and serve the corpses. Then I moved to where they know how to cook collards; cook 'em 'til they're tender, but not down to mush, and brighten 'em up with white vinegar. I like to throw in a good handful of smoked almonds, myself.

Texas was happily multicultural for years before that became a "thing". I fell in love with Czechoslovakian kolache pastries in New Braunfels. At a college in Central Texas I met a young lady whose family had been Russian nobility under Tsar Nicholas II; she showed me family pictures of her grandmother with Tatiana and Anastasia. They now lived in Houston, and had ranch land down along the border. They invited me out to their ranch one weekend for fajitas. There was a fajita restaurant in town, but they used beef; she insisted the only true fajita was skirt steak from a goat. They butchered the goat, marinated the meat in a Zip-Loc baggie in Russian dressing, grilled it over mesquite, made homemade tortillas from masa, and we made up fajitas with meat, beans, pico de gallo, guacamole, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, served with Corona beer, Dr. Pepper, or red wine, with homemade fried ice cream for desert.

Bugman, thanks for starting this thread!

I should be thanking you! Outstanding post.

 

[Bugman]

dr pepper is the national drink of texas 😛

Well, the state drink maybe. Texas hasn't been an independent nation since 1845, despite what some people here seem to think. 😛

I'd like to add something to what EBunbury said about beverages. There are dozens of craft brewers and distillers in Texas these days. The Hill Country is second only to California's Napa Valley in domestic wine production, and has been producing award winning wines for a decade or more. That said he is correct about what you will find to drink in the average barbecue joint. You don't go there for anything fancy.

 

[Bugman]

Hahaha, what an excellent thread indeed! Food is an integral part of culture, IMO, and it fits nicely into your global project of introducing us to the Southern culture.

I already loved barbecue before I read this post, but I am literally drooling at your description! Makes me want to go to the USA all the more, haha I think the presence of German immigration is something that most people overlook when thinking about your country. Glad they brought their sausages along. I am also quite partial towards the hot flavors, so I think that Texas will be high on my priority list when I next travel to the land of the free I like the idea of traditional recipes that end up being family secrets. That's awesome! Which reminds me of a certain drawing by ftkl, but I cannot post it here because it is copyrighted. I am sure you guys know which one I mean... 🙄

A few questions if I may: what do you guys usually drink with that? Do you have local beers or wine to accompany all that delicious meat? Also, how about breakfast? Could you describe what a typical southern breakfast would be? Is it similar to the English "full" or does it have important local variants?

Thank you so much for this post!

If you ever make it to Austin, I have a few barbecue places in mind for you. And of course I would be at your disposal as tour guide. 🙂

A typical Southern breakfast. Hmm, there's so much to chose from. Eggs of course, any way you want them. Bacon, ham or sausage, hash brown potato's, biscuits on the side or smothered in cream gravy, (I like the gravy with bits of spicy sausage)
grits, the list is almost endless. You can opt for a Tex-Mex breakfast but I'll cover that later.

 

[rdhd]

Yes, here in the "deep south" - grits. Some people luv 'em, others hate 'em. You gotta try 'em to decide.

 

[Bugman]

Yes, here in the "deep south" - grits. Some people luv 'em, others hate 'em. You gotta try 'em to decide.

I first encountered grits in 1969, when the family was here on a camping trip. Didn't care for them at all but in all fairness we were having breakfast at a Denny's so that might have something to do with it. I don't know of any restaurants in Austin that serve them. More of a rural thing I guess.

 

[Tenebrae]

If you ever make it to Austin, I have a few barbecue places in mind for you. And of course I would be at your disposal as tour guide. 🙂

You are really awesome, thanks! I really want to go there, but it is not the highest thing on my priority list right now. I'll let you know for sure!

A typical Southern breakfast. Hmm, there's so much to chose from. Eggs of course, any way you want them. Bacon, ham or sausage, hash brown potato's, biscuits on the side or smothered in cream gravy, (I like the gravy with bits of spicy sausage)
grits, the list is almost endless. You can opt for a Tex-Mex breakfast but I'll cover that later.

Thanks a lot! This sounds a lot like a typical English/anglo-saxon breakfast? Guess only Frank Underwood has ribs at 6am before going to Congress~ I will be on the lookout for your chili post, and for any update on this wonderful thread.

Does anybody know anything about the food in Louisiana? From my understanding it involves a lot of deep-frying and seafood. Also has some French influences, for historical reasons.

 

[rdhd]

I first encountered grits in 1969, when the family was here on a camping trip. Didn't care for them at all but in all fairness we were having breakfast at a Denny's so that might have something to do with it. I don't know of any restaurants in Austin that serve them. More of a rural thing I guess.

No, Bugman, not a rural thing here in the "deep south" (Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas, maybe Florida). Guess you also haven't been to a Waffle House. We jokingly refer to them as the Awful House, but as my former pastor pointed out, it's one of the few restaurants were you can actually watch what the cook is doing to your food.

 

[Bugman]

You are really awesome, thanks! I really want to go there, but it is not the highest thing on my priority list right now. I'll let you know for sure!

It would be my pleasure, anytime.

Thanks a lot! This sounds a lot like a typical English/anglo-saxon breakfast? Guess only Frank Underwood has ribs at 6am before going to Congress~ I will be on the lookout for your chili post, and for any update on this wonderful thread.

Does anybody know anything about the food in Louisiana? From my understanding it involves a lot of deep-frying and seafood. Also has some French influences, for historical reasons.

I can't speak to English cuisine. There are probably a lot of similarities, we just call them by different names. People across the south will deep-fry just about anything that doesn't move. 😉 You are correct about Louisiana. I'm no expert on that food but the Cajun culture heavily influences the cuisine there, and it spills over into Texas.

 

[Bugman]

No, Bugman, not a rural thing here in the "deep south" (Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas, maybe Florida). Guess you also haven't been to a Waffle House. We jokingly refer to them as the Awful House, but as my former pastor pointed out, it's one of the few restaurants were you can actually watch what the cook is doing to your food.

Understood. I meant more of a rural thing in Texas, should have made that clear. Awful House, HA! I love it. There's a Waffle House maybe two miles from my place, had breakfast there a few times. Some holiday or another, it was one of the few places open. Don't remember seeing grits on the menu but I wasn't looking for them.

 

[The Internet]

This thread is getting me so hungry. And nothing's open! (no kitchen where i live 🙁 )

Hey Bugman, one of my favorite breakfast dishes to make is Goldenrod, which I believe is a southern breakfast dish. I guess it's pretty much the white gravy over biscuits (or toast), you take a hard boiled egg....separate the yolk from the whites. You dice up the whites and throw it in the gravy, pour it over the bread, then pulverize the yolk with a fork or your hand and sprinkle it all over the top. Frickin' hell, I want it right now!!!! (you can do it with or without the sausage bits, i do it both ways)

I've never met another soul up here who heard of Goldenrod, never have seen it on a menu....

 

[CapturedDoll]

I LOVE boiled peanuts and I'll be trying this one soon. 🙂 This is HUGE in the South! When Northerners visit they balk at trying them. But once they do they usually love them!

Cajun Boiled Peanuts Recipe

This Cajun boiled peanuts recipe begins with the three traditional boiled peanuts ingredients.

Raw Peanuts in shell - Fill a large stockpot leaving room at the top.
Water - Float the peanuts completely with water. Measure the amount of water used to fill the pot.
Salt - 1/2 cup of table salt per gallon of water used. This is 1 tablespoon of salt per pint of water.
Cajun boiled peanuts spice mix ingredients cayenne pepper, black pepper, white pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, thyme, sweet basil, bay leaf
Cajun Boiled Peanuts Spices (per gallon water)
cayenne pepper - 1 tablespoon
black pepper - 1 teaspoon
white pepper - 1 teaspoon
onion powder - 1 teaspoon
garlic powder - 1 teaspoon
chili powder - 1 teaspoon
thyme - 1/2 teaspoon
sweet basil - 1/2 teaspoon
bay leaf - 1 large leaf
Zatarain's 'crawfish, shrimp and crab boil in bag' - 3 oz. bag

Adjust ingredients per availability, and your taste. To increase or diversify the spicy heat, add any of the following: red pepper flakes; dried, roasted or fresh hot peppers; pickled jalapenos, and their juice; liquid hot sauce. It's up to your preferences, and what you have available. Tell us your favorite ingredients.
If you use a prepackaged spice mix in your Cajun boiled peanuts recipe, be sure to read the ingredients of the mix. Many of these all-in-one Cajun spice blends contain a large percentage of salt, therefore you should reduce the amount of pure salt in this Cajun boiled peanuts recipe.


Directions

Rinse the raw peanuts several times in cool water to remove debris.

Put the peanuts in a large stockpot leaving at least 2" room at the top.

Add water, measure as you fill the pot, until the mixture reaches about 1" to the top of the pot.

Add salt, about 8 tablespoons per gallon of water, and stir.

Bring to a rolling boil, and reduce to a simmer.

If you are boiling green peanuts, add the Cajun spices to the pot, and stir well. If you are boiling dried peanuts you should wait several hours before adding the spices.

Grab a refreshing beverage, and relax near the pot. Set a timer, to remind you to check the pot. Sing a song, play some music, enjoy the passing of time. Stay near the pot.

Boiling time brings out the peanuts' best texture, and soaking brings out the most flavor.

Sample peanuts every hour until they reach the texture that you like. Add fresh water all along as it boils away. Soak the softened peanuts in the brine to fill them with flavor.

Fresh green peanuts should boil at least 1 hour. Dried raw peanuts need to boil for 8 hours or more. Tasting peanuts is the only way to determine when they are done.

When boiling dried peanuts add the Cajun spice mix after the peanuts soften, and become wet inside the shell.

Taste
Taste the water before adding any more seasoning. The flavor does not saturate the peanuts until they are cooked soft, and have soaked in the broth for several hours. Be patient. Boil them until they are almost as soft as you want, then let them soak to saturate with the water, salt, and spices.

It's better to add more seasoning later rather than starting with too much. Less is more. When the peanuts have almost reached your favorite texture turn off the burner and let the peanuts soak in the juices for an hour or more for increased flavor. Simmer to soften further, and soak for more flavor.

Refrigerate the peanuts in the juice overnight for maximum flavor absorption. Reboil your peanuts more the next day if they still have not reached the texture and taste that you want, or eat them cold. When you reheat them you can adjust the flavor of the boiled peanuts with the concentration of the spice solution that you use when reheating them.

Drain the remaining liquid after you have boiled and soaked the peanuts to perfection.

Dried peanuts may take as much as 24 hours of boiling, or more, depending on the peanuts' size, maturity, and moisture content.

This Cajun boiled peanuts recipe requires many hours of simmering when prepared with dried peanuts. Pay attention. Never leave a boiling pot of water unattended on a stove. When the water boils away a fire will start from the burning contents and the pot can melt. Turn off the burner if you must walk away. The peanuts will keep simmering in the water until you return.

Enjoy your Cajun boiled peanuts recipe with your favorite soda pop, beer, wine or tea.

Refrigerate leftovers for several days or freeze them in Ziploc bags for several months. Thaw the frozen boiled peanuts in the refrigerator. Eat them cold, or reheat them in the microwave or a pot of water on the stove.

 

[CapturedDoll]

Shrimp Po'Boy

In this shrimp po boy recipe, the paper-thin crust and pillowy crumb of a New Orleans–style French roll is essential—

Ingredients
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Vegetable oil for frying
1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp (about 36), peeled, deveined
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
4 8'-long French rolls, split horizontally
Rémoulade ( or mayonnaise
Shredded iceberg lettuce, sliced tomatoes, dill pickles, hot pepper sauce (optional), or any hot sauce you enjoy!

Rémoulade Sauce
This classic Rémoulade sauce recipe comes from New Orleans—where else? And it's ready to have fried food dipped in it.

Ingredients
1 1/2 CUPS SERVINGS
1/4 celery root (celeriac), peeled, coarsely grated (about 1/3 cup)
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, finely grated
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
2 teaspoons Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation for Remoulade Sauce
Combine celery root, scallions, garlic, lemon juice, horseradish, mustard, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, celery seeds, and paprika in a food processor and pulse until a coarse purée forms. Fold in mayonnaise and parsley.

Preparation for Po' Boy:

Whisk first 8 ingredients in a small bowl to blend.
Attach a deep-fry thermometer to side of a heavy wide pot. Add enough oil to measure 2". Heat over medium heat to 350°.

Meanwhile, place shrimp and 2 Tbsp. spice mix in a medium bowl and toss to coat. Pour buttermilk into another medium bowl. Whisk flour and cornmeal in another medium bowl.
Dip seasoned shrimp briefly in buttermilk, then coat with flour mixture. Working in batches, fry shrimp, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Open rolls and spread cut sides with rémoulade. Top with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and shrimp. Serve with hot sauce, if desired.

 

[CapturedDoll]

Garlic King Crab Legs

3 1/2 pounds Alaskan King Crab legs (with shell)
6 ears fresh corn
1 1/2 cups butter
3 teaspoons minced garlic
1/8 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon old bay seasoning (or to taste)

1-In a very large stock pot, bring a large amount of water to boil. Place crab legs and corn in the pot of boiling water. Boil until the corn is tender, and the crab legs are opaque and flaky. The crab may finish cooking before the corn, check the corn and crab every 5 minutes to see if they are finished cooking. When finished cooking, drain well.

In a large saucepan, melt butter or margarine, garlic, red pepper, and Old Bay (TM) seasoning. Stir in the crab and corn, and saute them for 5 to 10 minutes.

 

[milagros317]

Thanks for the recipes, Captured Doll. 😀

 

[CapturedDoll]

Thanks for the recipes, Captured Doll. 😀

You're most welcome! 🙂 More on the way! 😀