How To Cook Dry Hominy With Quicklime

doomsdave

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Howdyall:

i have some dried corn to use in Mexican food and the already cooked canned hominy is so salty my doctor might get a heart attack if she finds out I'm using it.

So, I'm using quicklime, which has no sodium in it and I want to nixtamalicize the corn.

But, how much quicklime to use in how much water?

Recipes are all all over the place, and the common comment is just buy some canned, or use "lightly salted water." NO!

I guess I can experiment, but if anyone here knows, I'd appreciate any thoughts!

I'm also using both dark and light corn, any difference in the amount of lime?

Love you all . . . .
 

catapault

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My friend Google found this on the Mother Earth News site:

2 pounds clean, dried flour-corn kernels (about 1 quart)
1/4 cup pickling lime (food-grade calcium hydroxide)
3 quarts water


Rinse the corn in a colander and set aside. In a large, stainless steel (nonreactive) pot, dissolve the lime in the water. Immediately wash off any lime that gets on your hands. Add the corn and discard any floating kernels. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, cool the pot and let it sit, uncovered, for 4 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator. Pour the corn into a colander in the sink. With the cold water running, rub the kernels between your hands to rub away the softened hulls (they will have a gelatinous texture). Rinse thoroughly (some old recipes say to wash between 4 and 11 times). Drain well. Use the whole, moist kernels in soups or stews. Or, grind them through a food mill able to handle moist kernels to make masa, to which you can add enough water to make a slightly sticky dough for making tamales or, using a tortilla press, tortillas. Promptly refrigerate any unused masa, and use it within 3 days.
 
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doomsdave

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My friend Google found this on the Mother Earth News site:

2 pounds clean, dried flour-corn kernels (about 1 quart)
1/4 cup pickling lime (food-grade calcium hydroxide)
3 quarts water


Rinse the corn in a colander and set aside. In a large, stainless steel (nonreactive) pot, dissolve the lime in the water. Immediately wash off any lime that gets on your hands. Add the corn and discard any floating kernels. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, cool the pot and let it sit, uncovered, for 4 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator. Pour the corn into a colander in the sink. With the cold water running, rub the kernels between your hands to rub away the softened hulls (they will have a gelatinous texture). Rinse thoroughly (some old recipes say to wash between 4 and 11 times). Drain well. Use the whole, moist kernels in soups or stews. Or, grind them through a food mill able to handle moist kernels to make masa, to which you can add enough water to make a slightly sticky dough for making tamales or, using a tortilla press, tortillas. Promptly refrigerate any unused masa, and use it within 3 days.
Yeah, I tried this, I guess I'll try it again.
 

Winchester

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doomsdave

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After a whole bunch of false starts, I went to a Mexican market (they're all over the place out here) and they had some nice, shelled corn in a bag for $1.49 a pound.

I got some "Cale" anyway to use on the dried corn I have, but I got a bag of that ready-made; doesn't appear too salty.

The instructions to make your own are useful, though if you don't live in a part of Mexico as I do.
 
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doomsdave

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Pozole came out good!

Corn takes a while

Best for a couple hours in the pressure cooker to get the corn tender
 
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doomsdave

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Soon, I'm going to cook up a bigger batch of that hominy for a grand batch of pozole, to experiment further, with different peppers, etc.
 

catapault

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I just finished a book review of Tu Casa Mi Casa, Mexican Recipes for the Home Cook, for my web site. There is a complete description of nixtamalization of corn. And some very nice, homey kinds of recipes. Sections for Breakfast, for Weekday Meals, and Meals for Sharing, as well as desserts and non-alcoholic drinks.

If you are interested, just go to my web site. A link to the review is up on the gatehouse page.
 
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