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African American "Soul-Food"
African American Food Culture and History
What we know as "soul food" is the descendant of slave cooking. It is the brilliant masterpiece that derived from want. Slave cooking is distinct in its use of greens, beans, and the parts of the pig rejected at the plantation house: pig's knuckles, ears, tripe, hog maws. These were added to the corn rations which were sometimes the only food allotted to the slaves. The meager pantry was further supplemented by wild game and fish pulled from the streams. Squirrel and possum figure among the meats used, catfish, trout, and shrimp among the fish. Much soul food requires the use of only one pot, as time for cooking and money for its tools were both hard to come by.
In the past, African American food was prepared in many ways. Since there were no refrigerators or freezers years ago, meat was smoked in a smokehouse to make sure it wouldn't spoil. Meats were barbecued, roasted, boiled, or made into stews. Feathered wildlife was prepared by frying, baking, roasting, making broths, or simmering to form gravies. In the rivers and streams, there were lots of fish and other water life that could be eaten. Vegetables were boiled or fried. Drinks were made from the juices of fruits.
Meals were cooked in open fires using black kettles or were barbecued in open pits. The people who cooked just knew how to do it. They didn't need to follow a recipe.
Back in the days of slavery, slaves were often forced to eat the scraps that their slave masters did not want. They turned these scraps into delicious dishes. Some of these foods are black-eyes peas, cornbread, bread pudding, greens, sweet potato pie, and chitlins.
From this tradition came many delicious African American food recipes.
African American Recipes: Main-Dishes and Casseroles
Main Dishes and Casseroles
Steak and Gravy
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 beef round steak, about 2 pounds and 1 inch thick
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups unsalted beef broth
1 cup light cream
Combine flour and next 5 ingredients. Pound mixture into both sides of the meat with a mallet. Saute meat in 2 tablespoons of the butter and all of the oil over medium heat until brown, about 5 minutes on each side. Remove meat from skillet to a 2-quart baking dish, cover, and keep warm. In the same skillet, saute onion and garlic over medium heat until onion is transparent; add to meat. Pour over additional butter if necessary. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in skillet, blend in the 2 tablespoons flour, stirring constantly and scraping bottom and sides of skillet, until the micture is smooth and brown. Cook until thick, approximately 3 minutes. Stir in broth and cook, stirring constantly, until bubbly; simmer over low heat an additional 5 minutes. Pour over meat and bake, covered, at 325 degrees F. for 2 hours or until meat is tender. Remover cover and bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Add cream, stir, and serve. (4 servings)
Smothered Pork Chops
4 pork chops
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
All-purpose flour
1/4 cup bacon drippings or vegetable shortening
1 large onion, sliced
3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup water
Wash pork chops and pat dry. Mix seasonings together. Rub on chops (approximately 1/4 teaspoon per chop). Reserve remaining seasoning for gravy. Lightly dust chops with flour. Heat drippings in a large, heavy skillet. Add chops and brown each side, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Remove chops from pan to a warm, paper towel-covered platter. Remove all but 1/4 cup drippings from the pan. Add sliced onion and brown. The trick is to get the flour as brown as possible without burning it or the onion. Add water and stir. Return chops to pan and add sufficient water to cover. Bring to a quick boil; reduce heat to low; cover and simmer about an hour or until chops are fork tender. Season to taste with additional seasoning mix, if desired. (4 servings)
Fried Pork Chops
4 pork chops
1/2 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups oil for frying
Wash pork chops. Mix flour, salt and pepper together. Put chops in bag and shake until covered. Drop chops in hot oil. Fry until golden brown for 20 minutes. Drain on paper towels. (Serves 2-4)
Ham Hocks
2-4 ham hocks (allow 1 per person)
pinch of salt
Put hock in a large pot. Add just enough water to cover. Add a pinch of salt. Cover the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 2-1/2 to 3 hours until hocks are tender. Put hocks in a baking dish. Place in 450 degree oven to brown and dry out excess fat. Serve with greens. (Serves 2-4)
Chicken/Tuna Casserole
1 1/2 - 2 cups chicken (cooked)
1/2 cup water
2 cans water chestnuts, sliced
2 cans cream celery soup
1 cup mayonaise
1 cup chopped celery
1 pkg pepperidge cornbread stuffing
4 cups noodles - cooked
1/2 stick butter, melted
Combine soup, water, mayonaise. Add chicken or tuna, noodles, celery, water chestnuts. If you use tuna, add a little lemon juice.) Put in buttered casserole dish. Sprinkle cornbread crumbs on top. Sprinkle melted butter over crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees F. uncovered for about 45 minutes. (8 generous servings)
Fried Catfish Fillets
8 to 10 catfish fillets
Salt and Pepper
3 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 1/4 teaspoons sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 eggs, well beaten
1 1/4 cups cornmeal
1/4 cup bacon drippings
Enough vegetable shortening to deep-fry (2 1/2 to 3 cups)
Wash fish and pat dry. Lightly season with salt and pepper and set aside. Combine seasoned salt and next 6 ingredients and mix well. Dip fillets in eggs, then in cornmeal mixture. Place fillets on a wax paper-covered plate and refrigerate at least 1 hour to allow cornmeal coating to set. In a large, heavy frying pan, preferably cast iron, heat bacon drippings and shortening to 370 degrees F. Oil is sufficiently hot when a hze forms above the oil and a drop of water can dance across the surface. Deep-fry fish until golden brown, drain on paper towels, and serve immediately. Excellent with slaw and Hush Puppy Patties. (4 to 5 servings)
Fried Fish
2 or 3 fish pieces
1 cup corn meal (white or yellow)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups oil
Wash fish pieces. Mix cornmeal, salt and pepper together. Put fish in bag and shake until covered. Drop fish in hot oil. Fry until golden brown on both sides for approximately 3 minutes. Serve weith favorite sauce (ketchup or tartar) - Serves 3.
Chitterlings
5 pounds frozen chitterlings - thawed
5 cups water
2 stalks celery with leaves
2 large onions - chopped
2 bay leaves
1 clove garlic - minced
1/2 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 red pepper peds, cut in pieces (optional)
Soak chitterlings in cold water for at least 6 hours. Cover pot. Drain. Strip as much fat as possible from each piece and wash thoroughly in cold water. Make sure it is entirely free of dirt. Cut into small pieces about 1 inch. Place in full pot of water with salt and pepper. Add other ingredients to the pot and cover. Cook over medium heat until tender anbout 2 1/2 or 3 hours. Serve with vinegar or hot sauce. (Serves 4-6)
Tasty Fried Chicken
1/4 cup bacon drippings or vegetable shortening
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 3 - to 3 1/2 pound fryer chicken, cut up
Wash chicken, pat dry, and set aside. In a brown paper bag or a plastic bag, add flour and seasoning; shake well. Place chicken in the bag, a piece at a time, and shake to coat. Shake excell flour from each piece and place it on a plate. Coat the chicken a second time. In a large cast-iron skillet, over medium heat, melt bacon drippings and enough shortening to make 1 inch of cooking oil When oil is hot, add chicken and fry until brown on all sides. Cover skillet, reduce heat to medium-low, and continue to fry for an additional 25 to 30 minutes, until the chicken is tender and its juices run clear when pierced with a fork. Remove cover from skillet during the last 15 minutes of cooking. (6 to 8 servings)
Beef Stew
1 pound beef stew meat
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
2 potatoes - cubed
2 carrots - cubed
1 medium onion - chopped
1 large can whole tomatoes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Brown the meat in hot oil. Add water, salt, pepper, seasoned salt and onions. Cover. Cook low for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add Carrots, potatoes and tomatoes. Cover and cook for 30 minutes until vegetables are done. (Serves 3)
Southern Fried Chicken
4 peices chicken
1/2 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups oil for frying
Wash chicken pieces. Mix flour, salt and pepper together. Put chicken in bag and shake until covered. Drop chicken in hot oil. Fry until golden brown for 20 minutes. Drain on paper towels. (Serves 4)
Dirty Rice
2 cups rice
1/2 pound chicken gizzards
1/2 pound chicken livers
1/2 pound ground beef
1 cup onions - chopped
1 green pepper - chopped
1/2 cup celery -chopped
2 cloves garlic - chopped
1 Tablespoon parsley - chopped
2 green onions - chopped
dash of salt
dash of pepper
Place gizzards and livers in pot and add water. Put the cover on the pot. Boil for 10 minutes. Add ground beef to skillet and mix well. Pour off oil and drain. Add chopped onions, garlic, celery, green peppers, green onions and parsley. Cook over medium heat 15 minutes. Remove livers and gizzards from water and chop well. Add to mixture. Stir well. Stir rice into mixture with salt and pepper. Pour into casserole dish or baking dish and heat in oven at 350 degrees F. for 15 minutes. (Serves 6-8)
Pig's Feet
5 cups water
4 pig's feet - split
1/4 cup vinegar, cider
2 medium onions - chopped
1 garlic clove - split
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 stalks celery and leaves - chopped
Clean pig's feet thoroughly. Place all ingredients in a pot. Cover with water. Bring to a boil. Lower heat. Cover pot. Simmer over low heat for 2 hours, or until meat fall off the bones.
Crab Cakes
2 cups crab meat - cooked
2 tablespoons butter or margarine -melted
1 small onion - chopped fine
2 eggs beaten
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup vegetable oil for frying
Saute chopped onions in butter. In a bowl mix the crab, egg, onions, bread crumbs, butter or margarine, salt and pepper together. Shape into eight patties. Fry in hot fat until golden brown for about 5 minutes. Drain on a paper towel. (Serves 4)
Jambalaya
1 pound smoked sausage - sliced
1/2 pound ham - diced
1 tablespoon oil
2 onions - chopped
1 green pepper - chopped
1/2 cup celery - chopped
1/2 cup green onions - chopped
1 can tomatoes (16 oz)
3 cups beef, chicken stock or water
2 cloves garlic - chopped
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups rice -uncooked
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
Heat oil in skillet. Fry the sausage and ham. Add onion, green pepper, green onions and celery and saute until tender or soft. Add tomatoes, stock or water to pot. Add garlic, bay leaf, pepper, salt and rice. Stir, bring to a boil - then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add water if Jambalaya seems dry. Add shrimp, re-cover and cook 15 minutes longer. Mix well. (Serves 6-8).
Red Beans and Rice
2 cups red kidney beans
6 cups water - cold
1 large onion - chopped
1 green pepper -chopped
1/2 pound ham - cubed OR
1/2 pound smoked sausage - sliced
2 cloves garlic - chopped
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Wash beans in cold water. Drain beans and put in covered pot with cold water. Add ham or sausage to pot. Bring to boil slowly. Add chopped onions, garlic, green pepper, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Simmer for 2 hours stirring occasionally until beans are soft. Mash some of the beans against the side of the pot to make a creamy sauce. Serve with rice. (Serves 6)
Peel and clean shrimp. Melt butter in soup pot. Add okra, onion, green pepper and saute. Add garlic and chopped parsley and cook for 2 minutes. Add chicken stock and tomatoes. Add strimp and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. Stir thoroughly. Serve with rice. (Makes 8 Servings)
Barbecued Spareribs
2 pounds spareibs
2 cups Sauce
Place ribs in a shallow baking pan and roast at 450 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Pour off the fat and reduce to 350 degrees F. Pour 1 cup of Barbecue Sauce over the ribs. Bake, uncovered for 1 1/2 hours, until ribs are tender, basting occasionally. Separate ribs with sharp knife. Serve with sauce. (Serves 3 -6)
BARBECUE SAUCE
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 medium onion - chopped
1 clove garlic - minced
3/4 cup water
1 cup tomato catsup or sauce
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar or molasses
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon tabasco
Dash of cayenne pepper
Melt butter and add onion. Cook until brown. Add rest of ingredients to pot. Cook 20 minutes. ( Makes 2 cups)
Brunswick Stew
2 tablespoons bacon fat
2 1/2 pounds chicken or rabbit
2 medium onions - chopped
6 cups chicken broth or water
2 large potatoes - cubed
1 clove garlic - minced
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 10 ounce package frozen lima beans
1 10 ounce package corn
4 tomatoes - quartered
Salt and pepper to taste
Wash rabbit or chicken pieces, dry and season with salt and pepper. Add chicken or rabbit to bacon fat and brown lightly on all sides for 10 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer for 30-40 minutes until meat and vegetables are tender. (Serves 4-6)
