Hoe Cakes

A Hoe Cake is a southern recipe that has many variations. It seems if you ask each cook how they make theirs you may get many different answers. It is to be eaten as bread or with honey The HillBilly Housewife shares this bit of history about hoe cakes The recipe I share is not from her website as she has a slightly different version

Originally, Native Americans cooked these on hot rocks in an open fire. They were commonly referred to as Ash Cakes. Later on, settlers from Europe adopted the recipe, cooking the cakes on the blades of their hoes in the fireplace. This is where they get the name, “Hoe Cakes”. Of all the recipes in my collection, this one is the oldest, the cheapest, and just about the tastiest of all. Serve Hoe Cakes with as a bread, or by themselves for breakfast with maple syrup or molasses. They also make a nice accompaniment to main meals, especially when fried in margarine. In the summertime, when you want a hot bread, but don’t want to heat up the oven, this is the best choice. They cook right on top of the stove, without heating up the entire house. Good for camping and back packing too.

HOE CAKES

1 c. White cornmeal
Salt to taste
3/4 c. Boiling water
2 tbsp. Bacon fat, butter or vegetable oil

Combine the cornmeal and salt in medium bowl. Stirring cornmeal mixture constantly with spoon, pour in boiling water in a slow stream and beat until smooth. Let stand a few minutes. Heat a large heavy skillet with bacon fat, butter or oil until hot. For each hoe cake, drop 2 tablespoons cornmeal mixture into skillet of hot dripping or oil and pat into flat circles, about 4 inches in diameter. Cook hoe cakes about 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown, turning them with a wide spatula. If needed, add more fat to pan for remaining cakes. Serve hoe cakes at once.