When you think of Alabama, you may think of college football, barbecue, and head cheese, but there’s more to this southern state’s flavor than that.
Alabama has an extensive and diverse culinary scene that is well worth investigating. I definitely suggest going if just to sample Alabama cuisine!
In a state noted for its abundant farming, game hunting, and closeness to the Gulf of Mexico, feasts are a semi-sacred component of life.
The culinary landscape in Alabama is broad, with alternatives for every budget and taste, ranging from fine dining to food trucks, popsicle shops, and local pubs.
Alabama offers it everything, whether you want classic southern cuisine like chicken and waffles, barbecue doused in the state’s famous white sauce, childhood favorites like corn dogs and ice pops, Vietnamese pho, or other world delicacies.
You will not only eat your way through a variety of delectable delicacies, but you will also learn a lot about history along the way.
Therefore, if you decide to go, here are a couple (scratch that, 10) meals to try.
Visiting other places in Alabama? See our other guides:
- 8 Best Things To Do In Florence Alabama
- 14 Best Orange Beach Restaurants
- 9 Must-Try Restaurants in Decatur, Alabama
- 8 Must-Try Florence AL Restaurants
- The 7 Best Things To Do In Huntsville AL
- 10 Must-Try Breakfast Places In Orange Beach AL
Must-Try Alabama Cuisine
The Corn Dog
If you’re anything like me, you immediately thought of carnivals and fairs when you saw the headline. Nobody can deny that a hot dog on a stick, batter-coated and cooked to perfection is delectable.
The Alabama hot dog is a menu staple. With just one mouthful, you’ll understand why the classic, deep-fried corn dog has been a popular summertime treat in America for generations: meat hot dogs wrapped in handmade beer batter, served with sides of freshly produced yellow mustard and spicy chipotle ketchup.
That’s a corn dog.
It’s even better after a few drinks, when the prospect of a long-awaited trip to the county fair has all your taste senses tingling!
Barbeque in Alabama
Alabama offers some of the best barbecue in the nation, cooking in a sauce that will make your mouth swim.
There are several BBQ foods available in Alabama. There are lots of wonderful BBQ restaurants for those looking for a quick supper, but there are also BBQ fast-food places for those looking for a late-night snack or a light lunch.
Yet no discussion about Alabama BBQ would be complete without addressing the barbeque sauce! Barbecue sauce is an integral element of most people’s meals. And no state is more closely associated with sauce than Alabama.
Alabama barbecue sauces are essentially a culinary category in their own right. From white sauce to mustard-based sauces, Alabama awakens at mealtime so that everyone may have a mouthful of sweet, tangy sensations guaranteed to bring a grin on your face and keep it there for hours after you’ve finished your meal.
While visiting this state, warm your spirit with some of the greatest barbeques in the south!
Green Tomatoes Fried
Fried green tomatoes are probably not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Alabama cuisine, but they should be. They’re the ideal southern delicacy. They’re crunchy, salty, somewhat tangy, and delicious all over.
They were made popular in the Oscar-nominated film Fried Green Tomatoes and served at Alabama taverns and family dinner tables. These juicy vegetable bites may be served as a meal or as an appetizer.
Fried Green Tomatoes are simply sliced tomatoes coated in cornmeal, egg, and buttermilk, then cooked in bacon fat in a pan. After cooked in the hot oil, they are drained on a brown paper bag before being sprinkled with salt or topped with mayonnaise. As you bite into it, the dish is crunchy on the exterior yet juicy and somewhat tangy on the inside.
I got my first taste of fried green tomatoes, and it was both exciting and horrifying. Thrilling because fried green tomatoes are really tasty. I was terrified because I never thought they could produce something that good!
Tomato Tart
Tomato pie is a southern specialty with a delectable taste combination. It’s available at restaurants and small diners around the state.
This dish’s heart is made up of tomatoes, bacon, and basil, but the sauce on top sets it apart. The combination of salt, pepper, green onions, mayonnaise, and cheese is applied just before the pie goes into the oven. I can see why it tastes so nice.
The recipe is simple, made mostly from ingredients available in your garden or pantry. One of the dish’s appeals is its simplicity. My taste sensations danced with delight as I ate the acidic sauce and melting cheese. It’s unlike anything else.
Cheddar Cheese
It’s only been a few years since Alabama welcomed a goat cheese creamery, but the new label has already left an impression on the state. Belle Chevre is the only name you need to know if you want the best quality goat milk cheese!
If you’ve never had goat cheese, you’re in for a treat. Belle Chevre, a goat cheese manufacturer in Elkmont, takes great care in producing its cheeses.
This creamy, smooth cheese is strong in protein and somewhat tangier than cow’s milk cheese, making it popular among local cooks. The creamery also creates spreadable cheese, cheesecakes, and body goods in addition to basic cheese.
While in Alabama, be sure to try some of the greatest goat cheese!
White Sauce with Chicken
As I have said, barbeque is a religion in Alabama. And that religion’s finest manifestation, if you will, the holy grail, is really in white barbecue sauce.
Putting white sauce over chicken is a hallmark of Alabama, and any restaurant hoping to earn a career by catering to the state’s citizens will always have a bottle or two on hand.
White sauce is a popular dish in the state, and it goes by many different names. It is known as mayonnaise sauce in the northern section of the state, but barbecue sauce is known to everyone from Birmingham to Mobile.
It’s usually served with chicken, but it may also be used as a dipping sauce or spread for white bread. Unsalted butter and fresh lemon juice are required for a superb white sauce.
It is often served with smoked chicken, although it also works well with ribs or pork chops. This mayonnaise-based white sauce is an Alabama original!
Candle Made with Beef Fat
The beef fat candle is one of Birmingham’s most spectacular and talked-about delicacies.
The candle is composed of slivered tallow and is infused with sofrito, a combination of onions, saffron, bell peppers, and stewed tomatoes. Melt the candle and stir it into the sofrito. Put all of the taste over pieces of crisp toasted bread.
This is something you will certainly want to try at least once, so if you want to try something new, go ahead and get it!
Crispy Pork Skins
Whether you’re a local or a gourmet on the go, you’ll want to try the wonderfully seasoned pork skins. It is normal to discover various cuisines made with hog skins all around the globe. But, in the south, hog skin is prepared differently. The south has mastered hog skin, transforming it into light, crispy, almost fluffy morsels of deliciousness.
Pork skins are an Alabama favorite that are crisp, fried to perfection, and seasoned to perfection. A popular bar snack that may be ordered as a side or paired with a dram of the best whiskey available. They’re fantastic for dipping in salsa or guacamole.
These fried and delectable pieces of fat and salt may be found on every Alabama dinner table.
Sweet Potato Pudding
The Alabama Sweet Potato Fluff is a classic southern cuisine. This last Christmas meal blends the finest aspects of sweet potatoes with creamy fluff to create a lighter, but still delicious holiday delight.
The sweet potato is not just a soul food staple; it is also popular across the globe as a nutritious alternative to the white potato, and I am all for eating good, healthy food.
Alabama sweet potato fluff is a casserole-style side dish made with whipped sweet potatoes, marshmallows, and almonds.
Sweet potato fluff is very delectable. The core is a root vegetable, yet there is creaminess, crunchiness, and brown sugar. That’s all you really need to build something soulful.
Ice Cream with Orange and Pineapple
Do you want anything sweet? When summer heats up, what better way to chill off than with ice cream?
In Alabama, ice cream is a serious business. Therefore, if you’re craving a taste of Alabama, get one of Florence’s most popular scoops, orange-pineapple ice cream.
They know how to manufacture handmade ice cream with a special flavor. A creamy orange burst with little pineapple pieces for texture. This unusual ice cream recipe has been drawing new consumers for almost a century, so make sure you try it!
A List of the Top Ten Alabama Dishes
Alabama is located in the center of some of the greatest cuisine in the United States, making it an ideal location for a culinary road trip or to stop and dine when passing through.
Traveling across Alabama without sampling some of the state’s iconic southern cuisine might be difficult.
Alabama’s cuisine is as varied as its scenery. If you visit this Deep South state of America, you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to cuisine and drink, and there will be enough of history and culture to imbibe as well.
I hope you appreciate my selection of iconic Alabama foods that you should eat while you’re here!