The following highlights some of the popular Traditional Southerner Foods. If you manage to be in an Southerner restaurant or you are visiting Souther The United States, I recommend the following:
1. Barbecue
Modern American barbecue comes directly from barbecue, a tradition of cooking meat with smoke that native Caribbeans did long before immigrants arrived. What distinguishes Louisiana barbecue from other barbecues is that the pork and coleslaw on soft bread come from piglets. Similarly, in South Carolina, pulled pork is topped with mustard and vinegar sauce, while in Kansas, roast pork is served with tomato sauce and molasses on bread.
2. Biscuits and Gravy
A favourite of Southerners, the original biscuit was brought to the country by the British, and the “sawmill” gravy was created as a cheap and delicious breakfast option in the Southern colonies during the Revolutionary War. Biscuits are traditionally made with butter or lard and milk; gravy is made with beef drippings, chunks of fresh pork sausage and black pepper. Today, biscuits can be found with all kinds of toppings, the combination of bacon and chives is very popular.
3. Chili con Carne
Chili con carne is a meat stew consisting of ground beef, chillies, spices and water, although the chilli ingredients have been the subject of much debate. Purists insist that real chilli contains no tomatoes or beans, although many others disagree. The country also hosts many chili cook-offs that attract thousands of participants each year.
4. Étouffée
Refers to a group of foods of Cajun origin, usually served as an appetizer (unlike gumbo, which is considered a soup), made with some type of seafood, such as shrimp or crayfish, and topped with a thick sauce. The sauce is made with a golden or brown roux, and the dish is almost always served with rice. The name étouffée is derived from the French word étouffer, meaning to drown, and refers to the method of cooking.
5. Fried Chicken
This is one of the southern recipes known as soul food because it is so delicious that it is said to fill the soul. It is also prepared with spices and is very common in Louisiana carnivals, especially during the Mardi Gras celebration. The secret to crispiness is to allow each layer to adhere well by the time it is fried. A trick to seasoning is to take a large bag or so and pour the spices into it to shake the chicken and get it well coated. It is important to let the layers dry so that it cooks well.
6. Grits
A dish made from coarsely ground corn kernels, grits can be extremely versatile. Typically found in savoury versions, they can also be made sweet. A classic dish is shrimp and grits, but grits are also a popular breakfast dish in place of oatmeal. Either way, they are extremely satisfying.
7. Gumbo
This South Louisiana dish has African and French influences, which is why it is one of America’s oddball foods. Gumbo is as recognisable a dish in New Orleans as jazz, in fact, they are associated because of the level of difficulty they share. The main thing is the broth and the second thing is the rice you serve it with. It is possible to add seafood. If you want to increase the flavour of the gumbo, you can add sausage or smoked sausage.
8. Jambalaya
A Louisiana favourite, it originated with the Cajuns in the southern part of the country, where food is often scarce. There were many slaves in the country at the time, so the word jambalaya is said to come from the French word jambon, or ham, and the African word aya, meaning rice. Like paella, pilaf or risotto, the main ingredients are rice, prawns or crab meat, thin slices of chorizo and prosciutto, chopped green peppers, garlic, celery, onion, tomato and the necessary spices: thyme and bay leaf. In some cases, chicken is added to the dish, but today there are many variations, from turkey shrimp to alligator meat.
9. Pecan Pie
This consists of a thin layer of puff pastry topped with a mixture of eggs, butter, flour, brown sugar, molasses or a sweetener such as treacle, and a handful of halved or chopped pecans. The baked pecan pie should have the consistency of a thick, silky custard with a distinctive caramel flavour.
10. Pulled Pork
Pulled pork is an American barbecue technique that involves slowly cooking pork over low heat, resulting in tender meat that can be easily cut into small pieces. A specialty that originated in western North Carolina, it uses traditional pork seasoned with vinegar, pepper and tomato sauce. Today, pulled pork is popular around the world and is used primarily in various sandwiches, served with fries, refried beans and hot sauce.
If you found this list useful, here are some more Traditional North American Foods to try out on my Pinterest channel.