Nixtamalization--Dent Corn

[Durgan]

Utilizing field corn commonly called Dent corn. Corn is used commercially in much of our food, yet with corn readily available all over NA, it is seldom processed at home. It can be utilized for cereal, tortillas, corn meal, and costs almost nothing relatively speaking. People buy this product commercially as corn flakes, corn meal, and corn flour.

Now the rub. Field corn must be soaked in calcium hydroxide or pickling lime of slaked lime for up to 72 hours or less depending upon preferences.This process releases nutrients and makes the corn readily digestible. This process is called Nixtamalization.

After the soaking the product may be dried and blended into a powder, or made into dough for tortillas. Just another home product that is economical and nourishing.

[Durgan]

http://www.durgan.org/2016/February%202 ... tion/HTML/ 7 February 2016 Nixtamalization
Two liters of Dent field corn was nixtamalized. It was washed, three tablespoons of calcium hydroxide added, boiled for 20 minutes, and allowed to soak for 24 hours, rinsed several times. The final product was stored for immediate use as cereal and some was dehydrated for long term storage and later use.

[Durgan]

http://www.durgan.org/2016/February%202 ... Corn/HTML/ 7 February 2016 Nixtamalized Dent Corn
The nixtamalized corn was dehydrated and stored and some as made into corn meal. I don’t make many tortillas so will use the meal in baking and cereal.

[Christopher Weeks]

Neat. That's something I've meant to try.

[Durgan]

Neat. That's something I've meant to try.

I was intrigued by fields full of corn and we not using it at home. I started digging into it and discovered the nixtamalization. It is a cheap way to make cereal. Just another food.