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    Home » Learn » What is Hominy?

    What is Hominy?

    Last Updated November 9, 2022. Originally Posted September 19, 2019 By Maggie Unzueta

    This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Hominy on a decorative Mexican clay plate.

    Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about hominy but were afraid to ask, including delicious Mexican recipes using this magic corn kernel.

    Hominy kernels on a decorative Mexican clay plate.

    WHAT IS HOMINY?

    Is it possible to sing in three-part hominy? No, silly. That’s harmony! Sure, that joke was pretty corny but so is hominy. 🙂

    The word “hominy” comes from the Powhattan Indian term for prepared maize – “Chickahominy.” Where, you may ask, did hominy originate?

    A bin of dried white corn at a grocery store.

    Well… Once upon a time, there was a little pile of dried maize:

    Back around 1500 to 1200 B.C., in the area of what is now Southern Mexico and Guatemala, the Meso-Americans discovered they could boost the nutritional value of corn with the process of soaking it in an alkaline solution.

    This process is called Nixtamalization. Every time you bite into a warm corn tortilla you’re benefiting from this ancient chemical process.

    Hominy on a clay plate next to a hominy can and silver spoon.

    What is this process?

    • First of all, the hard, dry grain is cooked in a dilute solution of lye (sodium hydroxide) or calcium hydroxide (from limestone).
    • Afterward, the maize is thoroughly washed to remove the bitter taste of the lye or lime (the rock, not the fruit). No limones were harmed in the production of your hominy. 🙂

    Hominy in a metal bowl.

    How to Make Homemade Hominy

    • Simply mix a small amount of this pickling lime powder in water to create the right solution.
    • You’ll then have to soak your dried corn kernels overnight in the calcium hydroxide fluid to loosen up the outer layer skin. This will make it far easier to grind it into flour and it also improves the taste.
    • Once you’ve soaked your corn, drain and rinse your kernels to get rid of that unpalatable lime flavor and vigorously rub them between your hands to remove the skins.
    • Your fully-rinsed alkalinized corn is now nixtamal. You’ll finish off the whole process by cooking your kernels until they are fully heated.

    For you do-it-yourselfers, if you choose to, you can actually make your own hominy in the privacy of your own home using “pickling lime” or “Cal.”

    Cans of hominy at the grocery store.

    Now, I know that most of you are far too busy to make your own hominy from scratch and the good news is that it is readily available in its canned form all throughout Mexico and the U.S.

    It’s already fully cooked and all you need to do is rinse it, heat it, and eat it.

    Note: In Mexican cooking, hominy is used to make Masa for Tamales, Champurrado, Gorditas, and more.

    Blue dried corn in a store bin.

    Dried hominy can also be easily found in Hispanic markets and in some large chain grocery stores.

    Some people prefer to cook dried hominy because they feel that it has an improved flavor over its canned cousin.

    Think of it as being very similar to cooking your own Frijoles de la Olla versus using canned beans.

    Hand holding a bag of nixtamal pozolero, or hominy.

    Where to Find Fresh Hominy?


    I’ve only seen fresh hominy at Mexican markets. This bag of fresh “Nixtamal Pozolero Maiz Blanco” (also known as hominy) was next to the prepared masa.

    Benefits of nixtamalization

    The process prevents the grains from sprouting while in storage and, most importantly, releases the additional nutrition of the B-Vitamin niacin which is super important for preventing nutritional deficiency diseases.

    People consume hominy in several forms – full kernels, as coarsely-ground particles (aka “hominy grits”), and as flour.

    Recipes Using Hominy

    Pozole Rojo in a white bowl topped with radishes and lime.

    Probably the most famous Mexican recipe using hominy is pozole. You might also see it spelled “posole.” This is Pozole Rojo, a classic hearty Mexican soup. Full of bold flavors and absolutely delicious.

    A white bowl of pozole blanco (or chicken pozole) surrounded by the toppings.

    There is also Pozole Blanco. The hominy creates that tummy-filling satisfaction of Mexican comfort food.

    Congratulations! You now know more about hominy than most of your friends and family. Be sure to hit me up with any questions or comments you may have about hominy and any of the recipes that you have tried.


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    Filed Under: Learn

    About Maggie Unzueta

    Maggie Unzueta is the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer, videographer, and creator of In Mama Maggie's Kitchen. She has been developing easy and authentic Mexican food, Mexican-inspired recipes, and traveling tips since 2010. From family recipes to her extensive travels throughout Mexico, she brings traditional Mexican flavors from South of the Border and into your kitchen. Maggie has been featured in notable culinary websites and other media outlets. For more details, check out her About page.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Paula @ I'm Busy Being Awesome

      October 22, 2019 at 2:33 pm

      It sounds so interesting, I’ll have to try it, I also loved learning more about Mexican cuisine

      Reply
    2. Brandy

      October 22, 2019 at 3:24 pm

      I have never heard of hominy before, what an interesting concept that I’ve never even heard of it. What fun it was to learn more, glad you shared this today. I love learning about new food options and things in general.

      Reply
    3. Patricia @ Grab a Plate

      October 22, 2019 at 7:14 pm

      Mmm! I love hominy and pozole! Your pix look so good! Interesting ready about hominy!

      Reply
    4. Christa

      October 23, 2019 at 4:51 pm

      I love trying new ingredients! I’ll have to broaden my horizons a bit and add hominy to the mix.

      Reply
    5. Nicole Escat

      October 25, 2019 at 12:02 am

      I think it tastes the same as what we have here in Philippines, we called ” binatog ”, it has a slightly milky flavor, maybe because the corn is white, we mix it with grated coconut meat and a pinch of salt. It tastes so great, I swear..😘

      Reply

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