Soul food is a term used to describe traditional African American cuisine originating in the Southern United States. Some of the staple foods associated with soul food trace their origins back to the era of slavery in America. However, the connection between soul food and the food eaten by slaves is complex.
What is soul food?
Soul food refers to a cuisine associated with African American culture in the Southern United States. Some of the typical foods considered soul food include:
- Greens – collard, mustard, turnip, kale, etc.
- Black-eyed peas, beans, field peas
- Cornbread and cornmeal
- Fried chicken
- Pork – smoked ham hocks, pig’s feet, pork chops, etc.
- Seafood – catfish, shrimp, crab, crawfish
- Rice
- Grits
- Macaroni and cheese
- Sweet potatoes
The origins of soul food lie in the culinary traditions of West Africa, where many slaves came from. African staples like rice, yams, leafy greens, beans and seafood provided the foundation for soul food. However, soul food also evolved over centuries as slaves adapted their cooking techniques and incorporated new ingredients into the cuisine.
What did slaves eat?
The diet of slaves varied greatly depending on the region, crop grown and policies of slave owners. But some common threads in the slave diet included:
- Cornmeal – Used to make hoecakes, cornbread and mush
- Pork – Fatback, ham hocks, pig ears, etc. Parts that slave owners did not want
- Molasses – Byproduct of sugar production used as a sweetener
- Greens – Turnip, collard, kale, etc. Often grown in small plots allotted to slaves
- Beans
- Squash
- Sweet potatoes
- Rice – More common on coastal plantations
The slave diet lacked variety and was nutritionally inadequate. But slaves supplemented food rations by hunting, fishing and cultivating small gardens in whatever spare time they had.
How did slavery influence soul food?
There are clear links between soul food staples and foods commonly eaten by slaves:
- Greens – Slaves often grew leafy greens like collards and mustards in small gardens.
- Cornmeal – Used for hoecakes, mush and cornbread, like slaves made.
- Black-eyed peas – Cultivated by slaves as an important source of protein.
- Fatback and ham hocks – Cuts of pork given to slaves by owners.
However, the roots of soul food extend even deeper into Africa. Dishes like gumbo, jambalaya and hoppin’ john have origins in West African cooking traditions. Slaves adapted these dishes in the New World using new ingredients like okra and Carolina Gold rice.
Soul food also evolved after slavery when African Americans expanded it into a diverse, modern cuisine. Post-slavery additions like macaroni and cheese and fried chicken became soul food classics.
How did slave foodways vary by region?
There were some regional differences in the foods slaves commonly ate:
South Carolina and Georgia (rice coast)
- West African staple rice
- Okra, yams, peanuts
- Saltwater fish, oysters, shrimp
- Cornbread
Louisiana (sugar parishes)
- Rice
- Greens
- Seafood gumbos
- Cornmeal used for cornbread
Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina (tobacco colonies)
- Cornmeal for bread and mush
- Salted and smoked meats
- Beans, collards
- Foraged fruits and nuts to supplement diet
But overall, the core ingredients of the slave diet remained relatively constant throughout the South. Simple, hearty dishes based on vegetables, grains, beans and pork fat characterized slave cooking.
How did slavery influence American cuisine?
The legacy of slavery deeply influenced the foodways of the American South. Some examples of this influence include:
- African cultivation methods for rice and vegetables
- West African cooking techniques like one-pot stews and frying
- Introduction of African ingredients like okra, black-eyed peas, eggplant
- Soul food as a foundational cuisine of the South
- African aesthetics of food and flavor passed down
Many iconic Southern foods like gumbo, fried chicken, greens, sweet potatoes, and hoppin’ john originated from African cooking traditions under slavery. America’s culinary identity was forever shaped by African contributions.
What ingredients were unavailable to slaves?
Slave owners controlled the rations provided to slaves. As a result, certain ingredients were rarely or never available:
- Fresh meat – Livestock and game reserved for plantation owners and overseers
- Wheat flour – Considered superior to cornmeal so not provided to slaves
- Refined sugar – Slaves only had access to molasses as a sweetener
- Spices – Expensive imports like pepper, cinnamon and ginger
- Butter and milk – Kept for owners’ tables
- Alcohol
- Fruits – Orchards focused on cash crops, not fruit
Despite these limitations, slaves created flavorful, inventive dishes. Techniques like frying and stewing overcame shortfalls in ingredients.
How did slave food differ from owner food?
| Slave Foods | Owner Foods |
|---|---|
| Cornbread, hoecakes (cornmeal) | Biscuits, rolls (wheat flour) |
| Fatback, salt pork | Roast meats, chops |
| Greens, sweet potatoes, yams | Lettuces, white potatoes |
| Black-eyed peas, beans | Rice |
| Molasses | Refined sugar |
| Rare meat | Abundant fresh meats |
| Game when available | Domestic meats |
| Foraged fruits, berries | Orchard fruits |
| No dairy | Milk, butter |
Slave owners reserved the finest ingredients like wheat flour, sugar, dairy and fresh meats for themselves. Slaves made do with cornmeal, molasses, game, and salted pork.
What staples defined the slave diet?
Though monotonous and nutritionally inadequate, the slave diet did have defining staples:
- Cornmeal – Used for making hoecakes, cornbread, and porridge. Corn could be grown on plantations.
- Pork – Fatback, feet, ears and organs. Seen as waste by owners.
- Greens – Turnips, collards, mustards. Grown in small gardens.
- Beans – Black-eyed peas, field peas. Important source of protein.
- Sweet Potatoes – Hardy, grew well in Southern climate.
- Molasses – Provided sweetness in place of refined sugar.
Corn, pork fat, greens and legumes formed the core of the slave diet throughout the south. Climate dictated some regional differences.
What techniques did slaves use for cooking?
Cooking methods used by slaves included:
- Boiling – Soups and stews made with a single pot.
- Stewing – Tough meats like ham hocks cooked low and slow.
- Frying – Bacon fat used for frying corn fritters, greens, fish.
- Roasting – Whole hogs roasted for celebrations, squirrels over a fire.
- Smoking – Preserved pork and game meats.
- Drying – Vegetables dried for storage.
- Pickling – Conserved vegetables in vinegar.
These humble methods made the most of available ingredients. Frying and stewing added flavor to plain staples.
How did slaves supplement food rations?
To supplement meager rations, slaves found creative ways to obtain additional food:
- Hunting and fishing on days off
- Trapping small game like squirrels, rabbits, opossum
- Growing small gardens near cabins
- Foraging nuts, berries, fruits
- “Pilfering” from plantation stores
- Raising poultry and livestock if allowed
- Bartering foodstuffs with other slaves
- Receiving gifts or trading with poor whites
Obtaining extra food required resourcefulness and ingenuity. Hunting, gardening and foraging let slaves expand their monotonous diets.
How did holidays impact slave food?
On holidays, slaves often received extra rations and had opportunities to supplement their diet:
- Christmas – Plantation owners sometimes allowed slaves to roast pigs or gave out additional rations.
- Weddings – Guests would bring gifts of whiskey, sugar and flour.
- Funerals – Friends would pool resources and hunt game to feed guests.
- Fourth of July – Masters sometimes granted freedom to find extra food.
- Sundays – Day off allowed hunting, fishing and tending gardens.
- Harvest – Slaves could take surplus crops home.
Holidays and events granted brief relief from the monotony of the slave diet. Generosity from others expanded food choices.
How did preservation impact slave food?
To preserve food with limited means, slaves relied on methods like:
- Drying vegetables and fruit
- Pickling and brining
- Salting and smoking meats
- Potting meats in lard
- Cellaring root vegetables
- Fermenting ingredients
Drying, salting, pickling and cellaring let slaves preserve foods to last through winter. These methods added flavor dimensions to simple ingredients.
Conclusion
In conclusion, soul food has undeniable roots in the cuisine of enslaved African Americans. Core soul food ingredients like greens, cornmeal, black-eyed peas, and pork fat were slave diet staples. However, slaves also heavily relied on foraged and homemade foods to supplement rations. While the impact of slavery on soul food is clear, soul food evolved well past the limitations of plantation life into the diverse cuisine celebrated today.