Hot Water Vs Regular Cornbread: What's The Difference?

Hot water cornbread hits differently. This Southern Sunday dinner staple isn't like your regular oven-baked cornbread. Don't get me wrong! That's amazing too. But I love this version. Once you mix up the dough, you shape it into patties and fry them in hot oil until they're perfectly golden. Rather than a soft, springy, and crumbly consistency, you get a crispy exterior with a tender but textured inside. 

The cooking method is the biggest difference between the two. Additionally, the hot water plays a key role because it partially cooks the cornmeal before frying. This method creates a denser texture and more rustic flavor that stands out from the fluffier, cake-like texture of traditional cornbread. These remind of cornbread pancakes, if you will. The ingredients also generally differ. Regular cornbread calls for flour, eggs, milk, and a leavening agent. Hot water cornbread pares it down to the basics — just cornmeal, salt, and boiling water. There's no flour at all, though some recipes use self-rising cornmeal or a little baking powder to add some lift. 

Other preparations of both hot water and baked styles bring some pizzazz with a little sugar if you enjoy a sweet and savory cornbread or bacon fat (like the recipe from Tina Turner, the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll herself), but it's not a must. Whichever style of cornbread you make, you'll get a warm, comforting side dish that is nothing short of heaven on earth when paired with collard greens, fried chicken, or a hearty bowl of chili.

Cornbread has deep roots in the cuisines of Indigenous peoples of the Americas, where corn was a staple long before Europeans arrived. One of the more fascinating offshoots of cornbread is the hoecake, which has an appearance very similar to today's hot water cornbread. The name may have come from the practice of cooking thin corn cakes on the flat side of a hoe over an open fire. These cornmeal pancakes are also known as Johnnycakes, which have clear Native American roots.

Versions of this dish have been prepared by a variety of people throughout history, including enslaved people and their descendants in the American South and the Caribbean. It was a symbol of resourcefulness and survival. The recipe eventually evolved into the cornbread we know and love today — a bonafide American classic with a rich history. Whether you keep it simple or go for a more modern and convenient spicy Jiffy cornbread, there is no denying that cornbread is full of tradition. From holiday feasts to backyard barbecues, it's a go-to comfort food that brings people together.