You’ve likely heard of fried chicken and biscuits with gravy. Southern food has become mainstream for a reason. It’s comforting and delicious, full of rich flavors and tradition. Still, not all classic dishes from the South have remained in the spotlight. Some have quietly slipped away from dinner tables and restaurant menus, fading into old cookbooks and distant memories. Beyond these popular classics lies a treasure trove of vintage Southern recipes just waiting to be rediscovered, specialties that were once beloved staples at potlucks, Sunday dinners, and seasonal celebrations, only to fade into obscurity over time. Here’s the thing: these forgotten dishes deserve another moment in the sun. Let’s explore five Southern specialties that food historians believe should make a comeback.
Perloo: The Lowcountry Rice Dish That Preceded Jambalaya
Perloo is a comforting one-pot Gullah Geechee dish that traces back to the days when rice was locally harvested rather than imported, when sweetgrass fanner baskets were made to separate rice grains from their husks rather than to hang on walls as art, when cookware was limited, seasonings were minimal, and cooking outdoors over coals was simply how it was done. Sometimes spelled purloo, pilau, or pirlou, this rice-based dish has deep African roots. Perloo’s origins lie in West Africa, particularly in Senegal, where there is a dish known as jollof rice, with its own variations throughout that part of Africa, and Charleston was the entry point for roughly 40 percent of all African slaves to this country. Think of perloo as jambalaya’s older, simpler cousin, cooked with shrimp or chicken and whatever vegetables were available. With its roots in West African cooking, perloo traveled to the coastal regions of South Carolina and Georgia through the African diaspora, becoming a fixture of Lowcountry and Gullah-Geechee cuisine. The beauty of this dish lies in its straightforwardness, a one-pot meal that showcases Carolina Gold rice at its finest. If you’ve never tried perloo, you’re missing out on a foundational piece of Southern culinary history that deserves recognition beyond just historical cookbooks. It’s hearty, flavorful, and tells a story with every bite.
Chicken Mull: The Forgotten Fundraiser Favorite
Chicken mull may not be as well-known as Brunswick stew or gumbo, but a buttery bowlful definitely holds its own when it comes to flavor, made with shredded chicken simmered in a rich, creamy broth, which is thickened with crushed saltines. This yellow-hued dish was once everywhere at church socials and community barbecues. Chicken mull is often considered a traditional barbecue stew, because it used to be prepared in huge communal pots and served at large gatherings such as fundraisers and church socials, with roots believed to be tied to 19th-century fish cookouts called “muddles” that were held by Atlantic coast fishermen. The idea of using crushed crackers to thicken the broth might sound odd at first. Yet it works beautifully, creating a velvety texture that clings to every piece of tender chicken. This is comfort food at its most unassuming, without pretense or fancy ingredients. Honestly, it’s hard to say for sure why chicken mull disappeared from so many tables, but it might have been overshadowed by flashier stews. The crackers add a subtle richness that you won’t find anywhere else, making this dish truly unique.
Burgoo: Kentucky’s Legendary Multi-Meat Stew
Burgoo is a stew, similar to Irish or Mulligan stew, often served with cornbread or corn muffins, that originated in Kentucky, often prepared communally as a social gathering and popular as the basis for civic fundraisers in the Upland South. This isn’t your typical weeknight dinner stew. Having eaten dozens of versions of burgoo, they all seem to have the following in common: at least three meats, typically of different characters, such as venison, pheasant and squirrel, or chicken, mutton and pork. Modern versions often use beef, pork, and chicken instead of wild game, though the spirit remains. Common meats are pork, chicken, beef, and mutton, often hickory-smoked, and common vegetables are lima beans, corn, okra, tomatoes, cabbage, and potatoes, with the starch from the added vegetables resulting in the stew thickening. Traditionally, burgoo was served at the Kentucky Derby and other large community events where people could gather around massive iron kettles cooking over open flames. A spoon can reportedly stand up in a good burgoo. That’s how thick and substantial this stew should be. The origins remain murky, with some attributing it to freed slaves or Indigenous communities, while others point to a Civil War-era French chef. Whatever the true story, burgoo represents communal cooking at its finest, and deserves a place at modern tables beyond just Derby Day.
Hoecakes: The Original Southern Cornbread
Before cornbread as we know it today became a Southern staple, there were hoecakes, which Southerners made with cornmeal, water and salt, sometimes with a splash of milk or egg if you had it, and back in the day, people prepared hoecakes over an open fire on the flat side of a garden hoe, hence the name. These flat, crispy cakes are about as simple as cooking gets. The ingredients are minimal, yet the result is deeply satisfying. Think of hoecakes as the ancestor of modern pancakes and cornbread combined. They’re crispy on the outside, tender inside, and versatile enough to serve with savory dishes or a drizzle of honey. Hoecakes represent the resourcefulness of early Southern cooks who made magic with very little. In a world obsessed with complicated recipes and exotic ingredients, there’s something refreshing about a dish that requires just three basic pantry staples. Hoecakes may have fallen out of favor as more elaborate breads became popular, but their simplicity is precisely what makes them worth reviving. They’re quick, affordable, and absolutely delicious.
Spoonbread: The Soufflé of the South
Spoonbread is similar to cornbread, as it uses many of the same ingredients, but the difference is in the texture: cornbread is sliceable but can be dry and crumbly, while spoonbread is much more moist, with an almost pudding-like texture, and it isn’t sliceable but is instead spooned onto your dinner plate, hence the name. This dish bridges the gap between a side dish and a dessert, light and airy like a soufflé but made with humble cornmeal. Native American cooking techniques, European baking methods, and African American culinary traditions all come together in this humble side dish, which you scoop with a spoon and serve warm alongside roasted meats or greens, with a texture that surprises first-timers: creamy, delicate, and slightly sweet, and once you try it, you’ll understand why Southern cooks have treasured this recipe for generations. Spoonbread requires a bit more attention than regular cornbread, as it needs to be served fresh from the oven while still warm and fluffy. Perhaps that’s why it fell out of rotation for busy modern cooks. Yet for special occasions or Sunday dinners, spoonbread adds an elegant touch without requiring fancy ingredients or techniques.
