Southern Pan Fried Cornbread

Use fine yellow cornmeal, not coarse. It gives these fried cornbread patties a more even texture and helps them cook through without getting gritty.
The batter should be thick but scoopable. Once mixed, you can cook it right away or cover and refrigerate it for up to 12 hours.
Heat the skillet until the oil is hot enough to sizzle as soon as the batter hits the pan. If the oil is not hot, the patties will soak up oil rather than crisp. A heavy skillet, especially cast iron, works best.
Scoop about 2 to 3 tablespoons of batter per cake. For thinner hoe cakes, flatten them slightly. Flip when you see small bubbles on the top side and the edges look golden, usually about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Do not crowd the pan. Fry in batches and add more oil as needed so the cakes crisp instead of steaming. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet or toaster oven to bring back the crisp edges. You can also freeze them up to 2 months between layers of parchment and reheat from frozen.