Hushpuppies, once a regional delicacy, have transitioned from a Southern secret to a beloved side dish across the United States, particularly in seafood and barbecue restaurants. These golden-brown, deep-fried orbs of cornmeal batter are more than just a tasty treat; they represent a unique piece of American culinary history. Restaurants nationwide are embracing this Southern staple, from The Fish Box in Seattle, where they complement fried halibut, salmon, and catfish, to The Mermaid Inn in New York City, offering them with a spicy corn and chile remoulade.
The appeal of hushpuppies extends beyond seafood. Barbecue joints outside the South are increasingly featuring them on their menus. Even in Salt Lake City, R&R Barbecue surprises patrons with hushpuppies alongside ribs and brisket platters, demonstrating their broadening popularity.
For those in the Carolinas, hushpuppies are a long-standing tradition, enjoyed with fried seafood and barbecue for decades. This region proudly claims to be the birthplace of this iconic American food. At their core, hushpuppies are simple: a thick cornmeal batter, shaped into spheres, nuggets, or fingers, and deep-fried to crispy perfection. The mystery, however, lies in the intriguing origin of their name.
Unraveling the Name: Hushpuppies Origins
The peculiar name “hushpuppy” has sparked numerous theories among culinary historians, ranging from whimsical to outlandish. One popular, albeit questionable, tale connects the name to fishing expeditions. Fishermen, upon returning to camp and frying their catch, would supposedly be met with the clamorous barking of their hounds, eager for a taste. To quiet their pets, cooks would fry bits of cornmeal batter and toss them to the dogs with the command, “hush, puppies!” While the image is charming, the practicality of bringing hunting dogs on a fishing trip is debatable.
Another narrative, deeply rooted in Southern lore, links hushpuppies to the Civil War. This story suggests Confederate soldiers, cooking around a campfire, were startled by approaching Union troops. In haste, they fried cornmeal cakes and threw them to their barking dogs, ordering them to “hush, puppies!” This tale, like the fishing story, is often repeated but lacks solid historical backing.
Some Southern food enthusiasts insist on an antebellum origin, placing hushpuppies within the context of cotton plantations. One circulated account describes thrifty plantation cooks sending excess catfish dredging to slave quarters. Despite cornmeal scarcity, these resourceful cooks supposedly added milk, egg, and onion to the dredging, frying it up into what we now know as hushpuppies. Earlier versions of this story unfortunately incorporate racist stereotypes, such as a 1947 account attributing the name to “softhearted Mammies” quieting “hungry children and half-starved dogs” with cornmeal pones.
Eurocentric theories propose a French origin, crediting Ursuline nuns who arrived in New Orleans in the 1720s. Forced to utilize cornmeal from Native Americans, these nuns supposedly created a batter, shaping it into patties they called croquettes de maise. This recipe, according to the theory, spread across the South and somehow became associated with quieting dogs, mirroring the other origin stories.
The lack of historical evidence for these fanciful tales is often overlooked. Many accounts simply present a few conflicting stories, shrug off the mystery, and proceed to share a recipe. However, the real story of hushpuppies is more grounded in history and begins along the Edisto River in South Carolina.
Romeo Govan and the Original Red Horse Bread
Around the turn of the 20th century, a new culinary creation, red horse bread, emerged at South Carolina fish fries. Despite its name, red horse bread was not red, nor was it intended for horses. The name actually referred to a type of fish, red horse, which was among the various river fish cooked at these popular gatherings.
Romeo Govan, an African American man born into slavery, became renowned as the “king” of Edisto fish fries in the early 1900s. He and his wife Sylvia settled near the Edisto River and hosted fish fries for local groups. By the early 20th century, Govan had built his “club house,” a venue where guests could enjoy diverse fish preparations accompanied by his signature “red horse bread.” Described in the Augusta Chronicle in 1903 as “once eaten, never-to-be-forgotten,” this bread quickly gained fame.
A Bamberg Herald correspondent later revealed the simple recipe: cornmeal, water, salt, and egg, spooned into hot lard used for frying fish. Despite the basic ingredients, Govan’s red horse bread was considered a remarkable and novel delicacy. By 1908, Govan hosted fish fries almost daily during fishing season, attracting guests from all walks of life. The income from these events allowed him to purchase his land outright by 1910.
Romeo Govan’s culinary legacy continued even after his death in 1915. Red horse bread remained a staple at South Carolina fish fries, potentially named by Govan himself. By the 1920s, it was common in fish fries across several South Carolina counties and even reached as far west as Greenwood by World War II. Some older South Carolinians still refer to hushpuppies as “red horse bread” today.
The Transition to Hushpuppies
While red horse bread thrived in South Carolina, similar fried cornmeal creations appeared in Georgia and Florida, but under a different name: hushpuppies. Fishing columnist Earl DeLoach noted in 1940 that “‘Red Horse’ cornbread is often called ‘Hush Puppies’ on the Georgia side of the Savannah River,” suggesting a regional naming variation.
The term “hushpuppy” gained traction in the 1920s. By 1927, a Macon, Georgia, fish fry was advertised to include “hushpuppies.” By the early 1930s, they were served at political events in Florida. Initially, the term was used in quotation marks, indicating its novelty. Tourists visiting Florida fishing camps encountered “hush puppies” and helped spread the name’s popularity.
Recipes for hushpuppies soon appeared in national publications like American Cookery and Boy’s Life. A recipe from Mrs. J. G. Cooper, featured in Boy’s Life, called for white stone-ground cornmeal, eggs, baking powder, and salt, fried in fish grease, solidifying the dish’s ingredients and preparation method.
Debunking the Absurd Conjectures
Many stories surrounding the origin of “hushpuppy” fall into what could be called “absurd conjectures”—explanations based more on the sound of the word than historical fact. Similar to the false etymology of “barbecue” from barbe-a-queue, the dog-hushing tales are likely post-hoc rationalizations.
The earliest dog-related explanation appeared in 1933, linking hushpuppies to scraps of cornbread thrown to whining dogs. Later versions embellished this, portraying frantic cooks inventing hushpuppies to silence barking hounds. These stories, while entertaining, lack historical basis.
Interestingly, “hush puppy” existed as slang long before it was applied to fried cornbread. In the 18th and 19th centuries, “hush puppy” meant to silence someone or cover up wrongdoing. It was also a nickname for gravy or pot liquor as early as 1879, described as a way to quiet a “growling” stomach, not actual dogs.
It’s more plausible that “hush puppy” emerged as a humorous euphemism for satisfying hunger while waiting for fish to fry, rather than literally being food intended for dogs. This interpretation aligns better with the existing slang usage of the term.
The Deep-Fried Revolution
While various forms of fried cornbread existed in the South for centuries (corn pone, johnny cakes, hoe cakes), red horse bread/hushpuppies represented a 20th-century innovation: deep-frying. Older versions were pan-fried in shallow fat. Hushpuppies, however, were deep-fried, cooked entirely submerged in hot oil, resulting in a uniformly crispy texture.
The rise of deep-frying coincided with the increased availability of deep cast iron pans and affordable frying fats like lard and early shortenings. Deep-fried cornmeal orbs gained various regional names (“wampus,” “red devils,” “three finger bread”), but “hushpuppy” became the dominant term, eclipsing “red horse bread” even in the Carolinas after World War II.
By the 1940s, hushpuppies moved beyond fish fries to become staples at coastal “fish houses” and inland “fish camps,” popular among tourists and locals alike. They further expanded their reach to barbecue restaurants, particularly in Piedmont North Carolina. Warner Stamey, a barbecue legend, is credited with popularizing hushpuppies as a barbecue side, inspired by local fish camps.
Hushpuppies Go National
The national spread of hushpuppies can be attributed to Walter M. Thompson Jr., a North Carolinian entrepreneur. After World War II, Thompson, owner of Thompson’s Fireside fish house, began selling a ready-mix hushpuppy batter. His “Fireside Hushpuppy Mixture,” requiring only water, was marketed as “a delightfully different Southern hot bread.”
Thompson’s ambition led him to establish The Hushpuppy Corporation of America. In 1948, he secured a national distribution deal, and Fireside Hushpuppy Mix was advertised across the country. Marketing materials of the era, unfortunately, often featured stereotypical imagery.
Despite local amusement at the idea of selling hushpuppy mix to Northerners, Thompson’s venture was successful. By 1949, his mix was sold nationwide and even shipped internationally. Thompson sold his company that year, and the Hushpuppy Corporation of America continued until it was acquired by House-Autry Mills, which still sells hushpuppy mix today.
Reclaiming the True Story
The true history of hushpuppies, while less whimsical than dog-centric myths, is far more compelling. It reveals the dish’s evolution from regional red horse bread to nationally recognized hushpuppies, driven by culinary innovation and entrepreneurial spirit.
The persistent tendency to frame Southern food origins within Old South stereotypes obscures the real stories of innovation and individuals like Romeo Govan, whose contributions deserve recognition. Perhaps it’s time to honor this history by reclaiming the original name and celebrating hushpuppies as the “once eaten, never-to-be-forgotten red horse bread.”
