It opens drains both by converting grease to soap and by dissolving hair. But if you soak corn kernels in a weak solution of lye, it loosens the tough cellulose hulls. It also separates the oil-containing germ, leaving only the part or endosperm, which is then washed and dried and christened hominy.
How is hominy different than corn?
The difference between corn and hominy Hominy corn is essentially just field corn – more commonly known as maize – that has been processed to give it a puffy, more meaty texture. To be made into hominy, corn kernels have to go through a process called nixtamalization. But don’t worry, it isn’t as scary as it sounds.
What kind of lye do you use for hominy corn?
How to Make Hominy Corn. In the Southern United States, people make hominy corn using food-grade lye as the alkalizing agent. Lye (sodium hydroxide) in its pure state is extremely caustic, much more so than slack lime; it will eat away your skin as a reward for carelessness. The lye comes as dry crystalline beads.
What kind of water is used to make hominy?
Hominy is made in a process called nixtamalization. To make hominy, field corn (maize) grain is dried, then treated by soaking and cooking the mature (hard) grain in a dilute solution of lye ( sodium hydroxide) (which can be produced from water and wood ash) or of slaked lime ( calcium hydroxide from limestone ).
Why did they stop making hominy without Lye?
This procedure was removed from the publications in the 1980’s due to poor availability of food grade lye, concerns over the safety of handling lye in the home, and lack of popular interest. The directions have remained in print in the University of Georgia’s So Easy to Preserve book.
What’s the best way to make hominy at home?
Start with whole dry corn. In a large pot add your corn (we typically make batches of 2 quarts of corn). Cover the corn with 2 inches of water. Add the pickling lime (since we used 2 quarts of corn we would use 4 tablespoons). Stir; The white parts of the corn should turn a bright yellow and that means the alkaline solution is strong enough.
