How To Cook Turn Cornmeal

Bootleg Cornmeal is such a fun fashion to embrace your inner homesteader. It is an all-day projection to brand, just it is so worth information technology in the end. Homemade cornmeal is sweeter, richer, and heartier than whatsoever cornmeal that y'all can buy in the store. Plus, information technology really is FUN to make.

We picked a TON of corn a few weeks agone at a friend's house and I REALLY wanted to try dehydrating some of it to meet if nosotros could turn it into cornmeal. (I'm really starting to embrace the homestead life over here.)

I didn't really have a recipe or instructions, and so these instructions are what I did, where I only kind of "winged it" and it turned out great. I as well tested the recipe again using some frozen corn to make sure that it would work for people who don't have fresh corn and it turned out great this manner as well!

Tabular array of Contents

• 🥘 Ingredient Notes
• 🍽 Equipment Needed
• 🥣 How to Brand It
• Part 1a: To Brand Cornmeal Using Whole Corn
• Part 1b: To Make Cornmeal Using Frozen Corn Kernels
• Part 2: For Both Fresh & Frozen Corn
• 🙋‍♀️ Oft Asked Questions
• 🍳 Serving Suggestions & Uses
• What is the Yield with Homemade Cornmeal?
• 🥫 Storage/Shelf Life/Reheating
• ✏️ Helpful Tips
• 📝 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

🥘 Ingredient Notes

• Corn - Ideally, you should utilise freshly picked corn on the cob (we used a variety called Kandy Korn that is actually sweet) or frozen corn (much easier if you are just making this for a fun project) but I don't recommend using canned corn.

🍽 Equipment Needed

• An Instant Pot or large pot/microwave - whatsoever yous need for your preferred method to cook your corn

• A corn peeler or sharp knife - I take ever used a abrupt knife to chop corn off the cobs, but a peeler makes it And so much easier and y'all get then much more than corn.

• A dehydrator - Nosotros got a large boss of a dehydrator for a wedding present - an Excalibur (thanks Andrew!) It is Awesome for drying ALL THE THINGS. If that isn't in your budget, you lot can use something like our previous dehydrator - they run about $30/$40 or less if you can get ane from Bed Bath and Beyond with a coupon. I really got mine at Goodwill for $5 a few years ago.

• A cheap spice grinder or food processor - We use the coffee grinder that my husband bought in grad school. I think it was similar $xv at Walmart. They don't sell that exact one anymore, merely this i is shut. (It just needs to have sharp metal blades and be easy to utilize. Nothing fancy needed!)

• An oven
• A baking sheet
• Desiccant packets - I explained these in more detail downwardly in the instructions, but basically these are moisture arresting packets that will keep your food from growing mold.

🥣 How to Make it

Making homemade cornmeal is a labor of love. It has a few steps, and while it seems a little fourth dimension consuming, almost of the time is spent hands-off waiting for the corn to dry out.

Part 1a: To Make Cornmeal Using Whole Corn

If you are using freshly picked corn, I highly recommend soaking it for xv - 20 minutes in water. We do this to take care of the caterpillars and other bugs that attempt to hitch a ride into the business firm.

After soaking, drain the h2o and clean up the ears of corn - cut off the thick stem on the end but leaving the husks on.

Next, cook your corn using your favorite method. I like to make it in my Instant Pot using the method in this blog post (but not cooking it as long equally I would if I was eating it.) You tin also melt corn in the microwave or past humid the corn in h2o, just don't overcook it.

To make corn in your Instant Pot, put 1 ½ cups of h2o in your Instant Pot (utilize 2 cups for an viii quart Instant Pot) and place a trivet or sling in the bottom. Stack as much corn every bit you lot can fit in layers, alternating directions so the corn is always perpendicular to the layer to a higher place and below it. (Picture 1)

One time your Instant Pot is stacked with corn, put the lid on and close the vent to Sealing. Set the Instant Pot to Manual Mode at High Pressure for 2 minutes. This will merely lightly cook the corn - simply the right amount. If you are using homegrown corn and your ears of corn are really pocket-size, try cooking for only ane minute. (Either style, you want it cooked to the amount where it would seem a little underdone if you were to swallow it.)

Later the two minutes are upwards, Quick Release the pressure and remove the corn from your Instant Pot. Let it cool enough that it tin can be handled, (Motion picture 2) then remove the husks and cutting the kernels off of the ears of corn. (I similar to do this with a corn peeler.) (Moving-picture show 3)

When all the corn is cut off the cobs, spread the kernels onto a lined tray of a dehydrator. You don't necessarily have to line the tray, but I take found that fewer kernels fall through the holes of the dehydrator if you line the tray with parchment paper.

Set the dehydrator to 125 - 135°F* (I take found 135 to be fine, but some dehydrators get really hot at 135) and allow the corn dehydrate for 8 - 12 hours. Check at vi hours and shake the corn effectually a niggling to make sure it isn't sticking to the tray. Also, break autonomously any large pieces.

*If your dehydrator doesn't accept a temperature setting, simply turn it on and let information technology beginning drying. Bank check on information technology every few hours but to make sure it isn't getting likewise hot.

Skip to Part 2 when your corn is dry.

Function 1b: To Make Cornmeal Using Frozen Corn Kernels

Dump frozen corn out onto a lined tray of a dehydrator. You don't necessarily have to line it, but I have found that fewer kernels autumn through the holes of the dehydrator if you line the tray with parchment newspaper. (Picture two - 3)

Fix your dehydrator to 135°F and permit the corn dehydrate for viii - 12 hours. Check at half dozen hours and shake the corn around a little to make sure it isn't sticking to the tray.

Function 2: For Both Fresh & Frozen Corn

Using either preparation method, when your corn is done drying, the rest of the process is the same.

Commencement, be sure that the corn is totally dry out. If there is whatsoever dampness, you will finish up with a corn paste. The corn is dry when you squeeze the kernels and you lot tin can't clasp them. If y'all drop them, they should sound like plastic and if you boom them they should break and not squish. Recollect of the texture of the vegetables in those ramen noodle cups.

Adjacent, add some of the corn spice grinder. (You probable won't be able to fit all of information technology in at once so information technology is totally fine to grind it in batches.) (Picture 7)

Put the lid on the grinder and grind information technology up. (Picture 8) This role yous tin can control a piffling - if you want the cornmeal on the coarse side, y'all tin can leave some bigger chunks - if you want it really fine, grind it really fine. (Moving-picture show nine)

Once all of the corn is ground up, either use the cornmeal right away or dry out out in the oven to make sure it is totally dry. (Picture 10)

To dry out out cornmeal, spread information technology out on a piece of parchment newspaper (not a silicone baking sheet, see below why not) and broil information technology for about 5 minutes at 175 - 200°F (equally depression as your oven will become), stirring it around once or twice. (Picture show 10) This step is but to suck out any remaining moisture from the cornmeal.

A fun mistake that I made and then y'all don't take to: I did try baking my cornmeal on a silicone baking sail (see below), but it got pretty stuck and I lost some of it, so I definitely recommend using parchment paper or a piece of aluminum foil.

I love that it is such a rich yellowish color and you can really run into that information technology is made from bodily corn.

When the corn has cooled off and is dry, store information technology in a REALLY closed container - I mean this - not a bag or a cheap plastic container, but something that has a good seal - with a desiccant bundle to absorb any excess moisture.

To Condition the Cornmeal

For the beginning few days later making the cornmeal, try to give it a good shake a couple of times a day to make sure no clumps grade. If you lot don't run into clumps afterwards about five days, you should be all fix. For long term storage, I will vacuum seal it, but if it is going to exist used presently that isn't necessary.

What is a Desiccant Pack/Packet?

Desiccant packets are those little silica gel packets you find in your new shoes that say "DO Not EAT!!" all over them. The idea is that they should actively absorb any moisture in the container that they are stored in so that whatever they are stored with does not; so dehydrated foods, leather goods, etc. Exist sure that you lot employ a food-rubber make and that yous apply the right size for your storage. (You don't demand a fifty gram pack in a small mason jar!)

I like to use Wisedry v gram Packs for virtually of my food storage. They are minor enough for a jar, and the beads change color to a dark green when saturated with moisture so you know to change out the pack. (One time you lot take out a pack, you can "recharge information technology" past drying information technology back out and reusing it, which is besides really cool.)

🙋‍♀️ Frequently Asked Questions

Can yous make stone footing cornmeal at abode? What is the difference between the two?

Rock ground cornmeal is fabricated by grinding upward stale corn between two slowly moving stones. It is much coarser than bagged cornmeal, so it would be similar to this recipe if you don't grind your cornmeal to finely. The coarser texture helps you become more than of the corny flavor in your baked appurtenances. Information technology might be fun to find someone athletic (and motivated) and endeavor to go them to grind up some corn with a mortar and pestle to run across what flavor yous tin can develop!

What kind of corn is used to make cornmeal?

Typically, cornmeal is made out of field corn, which is the type of corn that is mass grown by farmers for things like livestock feed, corn syrup, corn starch, ethanol, etc. Sweet corn is what you get when you buy corn on the cob, so your homemade cornmeal will exist sweeter than the stuff in the purse. (Then good!)

What can yous utilize in place of a spice grinder?

If you don't have a spice grinder, you tin can utilize a food chopper or nutrient processor just exist careful of overheating.

Tin you make this without a dehydrator?

Yep! You tin dehydrate your corn in the oven. Set the estrus equally low as you lot tin possibly fix it (mine only gets to 180°F) and spread the kernels out on a cookie canvass covered with parchment paper or a blistering mat. The unfortunate thing nigh an oven is it tin can get too hot, so you might accept to keep turning the heat on and off to keep from burning the corn.
You lot tin can likewise put it outside in the sun and let the sun practice all the work, just watch out for creatures. At our business firm, any food left unattended exterior is fair game for the birds and squirrels 😉

🍳 Serving Suggestions & Uses

I love using bootleg cornmeal to make Skillet Cornbread or for the topping of a Tamale Pie. It is a little thicker and grittier and is so much sweeter so the flavor is incredible.

Other Uses for Bootleg Cornmeal

• Cornmeal Mush
• Polenta
• Cornmeal Pancakes aka Johnny Cakes

What is the Yield with Homemade Cornmeal?

I had to make this recipe more than one time to brand certain I could come up with at least some kind of measure of just how much cornmeal you tin make from a starting quantity.

For the homegrown corn, I had a LOT of random sizes of ears of corn, so I used weight as a measure.

Later on cooking the corn, starting out with cobs included, I had 1,979 grams (4.36 lbs) of corn.
After cutting the corn off the cobs, I had 868 grams (1.91 lbs.)
Afterwards drying the kernels I had 262.5 grams (0.58 lbs.)
When all was said and done and ground up, accounting for the cornmeal that I lost when it got stuck to the baking mat, I had 260 grams and then around 0.57 lbs, and this was around 1 ¾ cups coarsely footing cornmeal.

For the frozen corn, I used measuring cups simply. ane loving cup of frozen corn made a niggling over half a cup of dried kernels and amounted to half a cup of cornmeal.

So, one cup of corn ~= ½ cup of cornmeal.

🥫 Storage/Shelf Life/Reheating

As long as you lot go along your cornmeal dry, it will terminal a long fourth dimension. A desiccant packet will help with this, merely you lot tin also store the cornmeal in the freezer for longevity or even vacuum seal it.

✏️ Helpful Tips

• This is a fun project to do only the dehydration procedure tin can take a while. I like to exercise it over two days starting in the evening, so the corn tin can dehydrate overnight while I am sleeping. Just brand certain you turn the dehydrator on correct as you get to bed and so information technology doesn't finish up running for fourteen hours 😉 When you wake up, the corn should be ready to grind up!
• If you have a huge harvest of corn or if corn is really cheap at your grocery store, cornmeal tin be a fun souvenir to make to give to family members. I know my family loves when I show upwardly with jars of things - I sometimes wonder if they are disappointed when I don't bring treats!

Have Y'all Tried This Recipe?
Please rate it and leave a comment beneath. I would honey to hear what you think!

📝 Recipe

How to Brand Bootleg Cornmeal

Homemade Cornmeal is such a fun style to embrace your inner homesteader. Information technology is an all-day project to brand, but it is so worth it in the end. Homemade cornmeal is sweeter, richer, and heartier than whatever cornmeal that you lot tin can buy in the shop. Plus, it actually is FUN to brand.

Prep Time 10 mins

Melt Fourth dimension 8 hrs

Grinding + Baking 10 mins

Total Time 8 hrs 20 mins

Course Condiments

Cuisine Southern

• a baking sheet

• ▢ 4 cups corn use however much corn on the cob or frozen corn you want - 1 loving cup of corn will yield ½ a cup of cornmeal
• ▢ h2o

Role 1a: To Make Cornmeal Using Whole Corn

• If you are using freshly picked corn, I highly recommend soaking it for 15 - 20 minutes in water. Nosotros do this to take care of the caterpillars and other bugs that try to hitch a ride into the house.

• Afterwards soaking, drain the water and clean up the ears of corn - cutting off the thick stem on the terminate just leaving the husks on.

• Side by side, melt your corn using your favorite method. I like to go far in my Instant Pot using the method in this blog post (merely not cooking it as long every bit I would if I was eating it.) You can as well make it in the microwave or by humid the corn in water.

• To make corn in your Instant Pot, put i ½ cups of h2o in your Instant Pot (employ two cups for an viii quart Instant Pot) and place a trivet or sling in the bottom. Stack as much corn as you can fit in layers, alternating directions so the corn is always perpendicular to the layer above and below information technology.

• Once your Instant Pot is stacked with corn, put the lid on and shut the vent to Sealing. Prepare the Instant Pot to Manual Mode at Loftier Force per unit area for two minutes. This will just lightly cook the corn, merely the right amount. If you are using homegrown corn and your ears of corn are really small, attempt cooking for just 1 minute. (Either mode, you want it cooked to the corporeality where information technology would seem a trivial underdone if you were to eat it.)

• After the two minutes are up, Quick Release the pressure and remove the corn from your Instant Pot. Allow it cool enough that it tin be handled, then remove the husks and cutting the kernels off of the ears of corn. (I like to do this with a corn peeler.)

• When all the corn is cut off the cobs, spread the kernels onto a lined tray of a dehydrator. You don't necessarily have to line the tray, merely I have found that fewer kernels fall through the holes of the dehydrator if you line the tray with parchment paper.

• Gear up the dehydrator to 125 - 135°F (I have found 135 to exist fine, only some dehydrators get really hot at 135) and let the corn dehydrate for viii - 12 hours.* Check at 6 hours and shake the corn effectually a little to brand sure it isn't sticking to the tray. Also, break autonomously any large pieces.

• Skip to Part 2 when your corn is dry.

Role 1b: To Make Cornmeal Using Frozen Corn Kernels

• Dump frozen corn out onto a lined tray of a dehydrator. You lot don't necessarily have to line it, but I have constitute that fewer kernels fall through the holes of the dehydrator if you line the tray with parchment newspaper.

• Fix your dehydrator to 125 - 135°F and allow the corn dehydrate for 8 - 12 hours.* (I have found 135 to be fine, but some dehydrators get really hot at 135.) Bank check at 6 hours and milkshake the corn around a little to make sure it isn't sticking to the tray.

Function 2: For Both Fresh & Frozen Corn

• Using either preparation method, when your corn is done drying, the rest of the process is the same.

• Outset, be sure that the corn is totally dry. If there is any dampness, you will end upwardly with a corn paste. The corn is dry when you lot clasp the kernels and y'all can't squeeze them. If you driblet them, they should sound like plastic and if y'all smash them they should break and non squish. Think of the texture of the vegetables in those ramen noodle cups.

• Next, add some of the corn spice grinder. (You likely won't exist able to fit all of it in at ane fourth dimension so information technology is totally fine to grind it in batches.)

• Put the hat on the grinder and grind information technology up. If you want the cornmeal on the coarse side, you can go out some bigger chunks - if y'all desire it really fine, grind it really fine.

• Once all of the corn is ground up, either use the cornmeal right away or dry out in the oven to make sure information technology is totally dry out.

• To dry out cornmeal, spread it out on a slice of parchment paper (not a silicone baking sheet) and bake it for most v minutes at 175 - 200°F (every bit low every bit your oven will go), stirring it around once or twice.

• When the corn has cooled off and is dry, store it in a REALLY closed container - I hateful this - not a bag or a cheap plastic container, but something that has a proficient seal - with a desiccant packet to absorb whatever excess moisture.

To Better Status the Cornmeal

• For the start few days later making it, try to give information technology a adept shake a couple of times a twenty-four hour period to make sure no clumps form. Then you should be all set. For long term storage, I will vacuum seal it, only if it is going to be used presently that isn't necessary.

*If your dehydrator doesn't take a temperature setting, only turn it on and let it start drying. Check on it every few hours merely to make sure it isn't getting too hot.

Storage/Shelf Life

Every bit long equally y'all keep your cornmeal dry, it volition last a long time. A desiccant packet will assistance with this, but you lot can also store the cornmeal in the freezer for longevity or even vacuum seal it.

Tips

• This is a fun project to do but the dehydration process can take a while. I like to practise it over two days starting in the evening, so the corn tin can dehydrate overnight while I am sleeping. Just make sure you plough the dehydrator on correct as you lot go to bed so it doesn't end up running for 14 hours 😉 When you wake up, the corn should be set to grind upwards!
• If y'all accept a huge harvest of corn or if corn is really cheap at your grocery store, cornmeal tin be a fun gift to brand to give to family members. I know my family loves when I show up with jars of things - I sometimes wonder if they are disappointed when I don't bring treats!

What is the Yield with Homemade Cornmeal?

For the homegrown corn, I had a LOT of random sizes of ears of corn, and so I used weight as a mensurate.

After cooking the corn, starting out with cobs included, I had 1,979 grams (4.36 lbs) of corn. When all was said and done and ground up, accounting for the cornmeal that I lost when information technology got stuck to the baking mat, I had 260 grams so around 0.57 lbs, and this was around 1 ¾ cups coarsely basis cornmeal.

For the frozen corn, I used measuring cups only. i loving cup of frozen corn made a footling over half a cup of stale kernels and amounted to one-half a cup of cornmeal.

So, 1 cup of corn ~= ½ cup of cornmeal.

Serving: 0.v loving cup Calories: 148 kcal Carbohydrates: 32 yard Protein: 5 grand Fat: 2 g Saturated Fat: 1 g Sodium: 2 mg Potassium: 336 mg Cobweb: 4 yard Sugar: vii yard Vitamin A: 405 IU Vitamin C: viii mg Iron: one mg

Nutrition data is approximate and is automatically calculated, so should but be used every bit a guide.

Keyword cornmeal, homemade cornmeal

Source: https://southern-bytes.com/homemade-cornmeal/

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