Southern Archives

Southern Recipes

There’s more to Southern recipes than fried things, although good fried food like buttermilk fried quail is hard to beat. Here’s my collection of Southern classics, mostly focusing on fish and wild game.

A pot of Brunswick stew, ready to eat. — Photo by Holly A. Heyser

That’s not to say you can’t use them for supermarket meats, too. Pheasant and dumplings works just fine with a chicken, and Brunswick stew doesn’t absolutely need squirrel.

I’ve taken a lot of inspiration from some of my friends and colleagues in the South, like Ronni Lundy and her book Victuals, and John Currence with his fantastic book Pickles, Pigs and Whiskey.

I have Louisiana classics like Creole okra gumbo, and venison sauce piquante, as well as Lowcountry specialties like chicken bog and pickled shrimp.

Appalachia is represented by recipes like sour corn, burgoo and squirrel hand pies, which are a bit like English pasties or Latin empanadas.

In all, there are almost 50 Southern favorites here. Enjoy!

The Latest

Fish

Pan Seared Grouper

Simple pan seared grouper or other white fish, served with a hearts of palm salad and key lime browned butter sauce. It's an ode to Florida.

Southern

Red Eye Gravy with Quail

Southern red eye gravy hinges on country ham and black coffee, but I add a little broth, flour and sage.

Fish

Southern Fish and Grits

Southern fish and grits: Seared fish, grits and a simple sauce make this Southern classic an easy supper. Great with tripletail or any firm fish.

Pheasant, Grouse, Quail

Fried Pheasant

Yes, you fry pheasants! Here's a recipe for pickle-brined, fried pheasant you'll love. Works great with grouse and partridge, too.

Southern

Roasted Okra

A simple, spicy roasted okra recipe that leaves the okra crispy, not slimy. Roast okra with chiles, salt and a little oil.

Recipe

Venison Gumbo

This venison gumbo is dark, savory and rich, a classic Cajun gumbo with no tomato and a dark roux. It’s…

Recipe

Virginia Brunswick Stew

This is real-deal, old school Brunswick stew, with squirrels and other assorted meats. It is a dish with real history, and some controversy.

Recipe

Alabama White Sauce

Alabama white sauce is a white BBQ sauce almost always used with poultry. It is mainly a vinegar and mayonnaise sauce, with other spices.

Recipe

Crab Deviled Eggs

A simple recipe for either party appetizers, a light lunch, or a snack. Beware: Crab deviled eggs are addictive.

Recipe

Cream of Crab Soup

This is she crab soup without the roe, so it is cream of crab soup, with sherry, bay, a little seafood broth and lots of crab.

Recipe

Lowcountry Okra Salad

This is an okra salad recipe where you flash fry thinly sliced okra first, which removes all slime! Finish it up with tomatoes, feta and peppers.

Recipe

New Orleans BBQ Shrimp

New Orleans BBQ shrimp isn't exactly barbecue, but it is damn good. This is a Creole shrimp dish heavily influenced by French cooking.