Bacon & Shrimp Hush Puppies with Smoked Chili Mayo

Yield makes about 2 dozen
RECIPE Ingredients
  • 10 slices Uncured Hickory Smoked Bacon
  • 2 cups fine cornmeal
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1½ cups buttermilk, at room temperature
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 tablespoons Black Truffle Butter, melted
  • 1½ cups (about 1/3 pound) chopped cooked shrimp
  • ½ cup fresh sweet corn kernels, blanched
  • High smoke point oil, for frying (we used half peanut oil, half Duck Fat)
  • Flake salt

Smoked Chili Mayo

  • 6 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 3 tablespoons sour cream
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tablespoon chili sauce 
  • 1½ teaspoons chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Recipe notes
Flecked with hickory smoked bacon, these flavorful hush puppies fry up crisp and surprisingly light. They’re an excellent party food and make a great summer side dish for steaks, barbecue, and fish.
RECIPE Preparation
  1. Line a rimmed sheet pan with a few layers of paper towels, set aside.
  2. In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Drain then chop as finely as possible. Tip: Pulsing the bacon in a food processor makes quick work of this task.
  3. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
  4. In large mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and a few grinds of black pepper.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and melted truffle butter; pour into the cornmeal mixture and stir to combine. Stir in shrimp, corn kernels, and chopped bacon. Let mixture rest while you preheat 3” of oil to 350 degrees F in a medium Dutch oven or other heavy pot.
  6. Using a cookie/ice cream scoop, carefully scoop balls about 1½” in diameter into the oil. Fry hush puppies in small batches until chestnut brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes each batch, turning as needed. Place cooked hush puppies on the prepared sheet pan and sprinkle with flake salt. Keep warm in the oven until all dough is cooked.
  7. For the smoked chili mayo: In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili sauce, chili powder, paprika, and cayenne; season with salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning, add additional chili sauce if desired.
  8. Serve hush puppies warm with smoked chili mayo on the side.