My early cooking days in college were largely characterized by food that came from the middle of the grocery store. I was on a budget, so I became a whiz at making Hamburger Helper and Rice-A-Roni taste like they didn’t come out of a box. One day, I came back from the store with what I thought was a can of corn. I opened the top and poured the contents into a bowl to make an easy corn and black bean salsa. The contents looked strange: The corn was large and chewy, and it wasn’t quite as sweet as corn. A quick look at the label revealed I had purchased hominy instead!
What Is Hominy?
Hominy comes from white or yellow field corn. Unlike sweet corn that’s eaten straight off the cob, field corn stays in the field until the ears dry. After the dried kernels are removed, the corn is used for livestock feed or turned into products for human consumption, like cornmeal, corn oil or corn syrup.
Another common use for field corn involves nixtamalization, a process that started in ancient Mesoamerica and gained popularity in the American South. Soaking corn kernels in lye or lime solutions plumps up the kernel while also removing the hull and germ, making the corn more digestible. The process also makes certain nutrients (specifically, niacin or vitamin B3) more absorbable in the body. As a bonus, the corn won’t sprout in storage like untreated corn.
When the nixtamalized corn is left whole, it’s called hominy. When ground, it is referred to as hominy grits or masa harina, a naturally gluten-free flour used to make tortillas, tamales and other Latin American dishes.
What Does Hominy Taste Like?
Hominy tastes a little bit like corn, but less sweet. It has an earthy edge and a nutty vibe. It’s significantly chewier than sweet corn, and it exhibits a softer, fluffier texture. There are two types of hominy—yellow hominy and white hominy. They taste pretty similar, although the yellow variety is the slightly sweeter of the two.
Corn vs. Hominy
The difference between corn and hominy are immediately apparent. Corn kernels are much smaller with an oblong shape and a slightly rounded tip. Hominy can range between one and two inches in length, and it has a more irregular, plump shape. It’s harder to tell the difference between the ground products. Cornmeal (made from ground corn) has a gritty texture, and it can range in size from fine to medium coarse. Masa harina is typically finely ground like flour, whereas hominy grits have a very coarse texture with granules that are larger and more irregular in size
Is Hominy Healthy?
Hominy is generally considered healthy. It’s a naturally gluten-free whole grain, and it’s a good source of essential nutrients and dietary fiber. It is low in fat compared to other starches, but this quality is largely affected by how it’s prepared. Adding excess amounts of butter, oil, salt or high-calorie toppings can increase the overall calorie and fat content of the dish.
How to Cook Hominy
carlosrojas20/Getty Images
There are three types of hominy: dried, frozen and canned. Dried hominy keeps in the pantry (like beans) and is best soaked overnight before simmering in water until tender. Frozen hominy is a popular choice for making New Mexico pozole, and it’s typically cooked in a pressure cooker or slow cooker.
Canned hominy is the easiest one to use. It’s already cooked, so you can use it directly without the need for soaking or extended cooking. Add it to stews, beef chili, soups or casseroles like our Holiday Hominy. It also works well in slow cooker dishes like this Spanish Hominy recipe.
FAQs
It has an earthy and more complex flavor than sweet corn. Again, you can purchase it already cooked in a can, dried hominy kernels, and ground hominy. You cook dried hominy kernels in the same way that you cook dried beans and lentils. You'll be required to rinse and soak them overnight before cooking in boiling water.
What is hominy and how do you cook it? ›
There are three types of hominy: dried, frozen and canned. Dried hominy keeps in the pantry (like beans) and is best soaked overnight before simmering in water until tender. Frozen hominy is a popular choice for making New Mexico pozole, and it's typically cooked in a pressure cooker or slow cooker.
Is canned hominy already cooked? ›
Canned hominy is fully cooked, so it is safe to eat without further cooking. Use hominy like you would use canned beans in a soup, stew, or casserole. Unlike many beans, hominy won't absorb the flavor of whatever you're cooking with and will keep its own delicious flavor.
Is hominy healthy for you? ›
Hominy is generally quite good for you. It contains roughly just 119 calories and 1.5 grams of fat per cup, but also about 24 grams of carbohydrate, which is fairly high. It's also a good source of fibre and iron. Maize is high in niacin (vitamin B3) that the body usually isn't able to exploit.
Do you have to rinse canned hominy? ›
The biggest mistake people often make when cooking with hominy is not accounting for its cooking time - dried hominy requires a long soaking and simmering process, which can take several hours. Canned hominy, on the other hand, is fully cooked and only needs to be rinsed and heated.
Is hominy hard to digest? ›
The dried corn kernels are soaked in a lye or lime solution to soften the tough outer hulls, which are then removed. Hominy has many benefits. It is more easily digested than corn; it keeps for longer periods of time, which was important before refrigeration was common; and it provides many dietary nutrients.
Can you cook hominy without soaking? ›
Soak overnight. You can skip this step, but the corn will take longer to cook.
What does hominy taste like? ›
Since hominy comes from corn, it has a mild, earthy-sweet taste like corn does, but the nixtamalization process brings out its inherent nuttiness and gives it a distinctive fluffy-yet-chewy texture. Yellow hominy tends to be sweeter than white hominy.
What's the difference between grits and hominy? ›
Yellow corn grits are made from a type of corn known as dent corn or field corn. (Hominy grits are different; they're made from corn that has been nixtamalized, meaning that the corn has been soaked in an alkaline solution.)
Is dried hominy better than canned? ›
You can find ready-to-eat hominy in cans, but we prefer the texture and flavor we get when we cook dried hominy ourselves. To prepare dried hominy, cook it exactly as you would dried beans.
As the grandparents of a juvenile diabetic, it is super important that we provide balanced and nutritious meals for Noah. Hominy, at a glycemic index of 57, fat at 9 grams, carbohydrates of 66 and 7 grams of proteinis both acceptable and delicious!
Is hominy a protein or carb? ›
Hominy, canned, white, 1 cup
| Protein (g) | 2.44 |
|---|
| Total lipid (fat) (g) | 1.45 |
| Carbohydrate, by difference (g) | 23.53 |
| Energy (kcal) | 118.8 |
| Sugars, total (g) | 3 |
34 more rowsEven many foodies might believe hominy is an exclusively Mexican menu item. Not a chance. In reality, it's a traditional and nutritious way of processing corn that Indigenous peoples have used throughout the Americas for millennia.
How do you know when hominy is cooked? ›
It isn't particularly good on its own. Soaked prepared hominy, cooked at a gentle simmer, should take about 2 hours; it's done when the grains are chewy and tender but not chalky.
Are pozole and hominy the same thing? ›
Posole and hominy are the same thing. The name hominy comes from the Algonquian word “rockahominy.” I grew up with hominy served as a frequent side dish with pork. In the South, that was common years ago and to have it pulled together in a soup is genius.
What's the difference between hominy and grits? ›
Yellow corn grits are made from a type of corn known as dent corn or field corn. (Hominy grits are different; they're made from corn that has been nixtamalized, meaning that the corn has been soaked in an alkaline solution.)
What is the purpose of hominy? ›
Hominy can be dehydrated and ground up to make grits or masa for corn tortillas and tamales. It can also be used as a thickening agent in soups, stews, and casseroles.
Are chickpeas and hominy the same thing? ›
Is Hominy the Same as Chickpeas? Hominy is sometimes compared to chickpeas. While they are prepared similarly when dried and taste alike, the similarities stop there. Hominy is made from field corn (maize) that has been soaked in a solution made of lime, lye, or ash.
carlosrojas20/Getty Images