Hominy is formed by soaking dry corn during a solution that removes the pericarp from the kernel, this releases the corn’s endocarp to fluff up and release its flavor and nutrients. The art of creating hominy is as old as pre-Columbian time and is documented within the south. Hominy is often fried in butter with some country ham, deep-fried (or baked) to form corn nuts, ground into masa to form tortillas or coarsely ground to form grits. the method, called nixtamalization, uses an alkaline solution of either wood ash lye or lime water made up of calcium hydroxide. The alkaline solution dissolves the pericarp from the dried corn kernel, which allows the kernel to fluff up and also increases the bioavailability of niacin and protein. This recipe, by Jennifer Gleason, also can be found on YouTube. There are many variations on the method but the fundamentals are an equivalent, cooking and soaking in an alkaline solution to get rid of the outer skin on the dried corn kernel. begin with dried corn, best to use something like Hickory King White Corn, but you’ll try it with any dry corn. Remove the kernels from the cob, winnow the corn to get rid of any chaff.
To Make Lime Water
3 1/2 gallons filtered water 1 1/2 c calcium hydroxide (calcium hydroxide or pickling lime) Use only stainless, glass or enamel, don’t use aluminum pots or utensils. Bring water to a simmer and sprinkle the powdered lime and stir well to combine. Remove from heat, put the lid on and let sit for a minimum of two hours. After sitting the lime separates off within the bottom (white layer). Pour off the clear liquid into another pot and now what you’ve got is lime water. Add 6 pounds of whole kernel corn to the water. replace on the stove, bring back a boil, then turn right down to a simmer, place the lid on and permit to simmer overnight. After simmering, the kernels will swell to about 3x their size. Pour off the liquid (will be a yellowish color) rinse the corn one to 2 times (or until the rinse water is clear) to get rid of the lime water. Refrigerate until use (good for about 1 week) or freeze for up to three months during a zip-lock bag. If you would like to form a little batch of hominy, reduce the water to 10 cups and therefore the pickling lime to 1/4 cup, but follow equivalent instructions for creating it. Once you’ve got made your lime water, add 3 cups of dry corn, bring back a boil, then let simmer overnight. A Crock Pot works great for creating hominy.
How to Use Hominy
The great southern dish is to fry the hominy in butter, salt, and pepper and add some country ham to the pan. Cook until the hominy gets a touch crisp thereon. you’ll deep fry it to form corn nuts. Just heat up some vegetable oil and fry the hominy until golden brown. Remove from the oil and let dry on a towel to get rid of a number of the oil. Season with salt or your favorite seasonings (barbecue, spicy mix…). If you don’t want to deep fry them you’ll also just roast them within the oven (at 400°F) coated with a touch vegetable oil, and salt (you also can add some spices). Make your own homemade tortillas from grinding hominy into masa.
