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Hominy

Grains, rice & flours · Corn products

Hominy

Large maize kernels treated with alkali so they puff and turn chewy; the corn in pozole.

Also called: pozole corn, nixtamalized corn, maíz pozolero, canned hominy

Around the world: maíz pozolero, pozole (es)

4 recipes with it

Photo: Glane23, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-3.0)

What it is

Hominy is dried field corn, usually white, that has been nixtamalized in an alkaline solution, which loosens the hulls and makes the kernels swell into big, chewy, puffy pieces. It is sold canned (ready to use) or dried (soak and simmer for hours). Ground hominy becomes masa; coarsely ground dried hominy gives hominy grits.

How it’s used

  • Pozole rojo, blanco and verde
  • Menudo
  • Hominy casseroles and stews
  • Fried or roasted as a snack

Characteristics

Taste
Mild, earthy, faintly tortilla-like.
Texture
Chewy and plump.
Sold as
canned, dried
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Suitable for boiling

Storage

Pantry-stable. Canned hominy keeps in the pantry; once opened, rinse, refrigerate covered and use within a few days.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Naturally gluten-free.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
72 kcal
Protein
1.48 g
Carbohydrate
14.26 g
Fat
0.88 g
Fibre
2.5 g
Sugars
1.51 g

USDA FoodData Central: Hominy, canned, white.

Related ingredients

Recipes with hominy

  • Plate of cachupa with hominy, beans, cabbage and sweet potato

    Cachupa

    Cape Verdean · 2 h 15 min · 580 kcal

  • Locro

    Argentine · 2 h 55 min · 466 kcal

  • Umngqusho

    South African · 45 min · 264 kcal · Vegan

More corn products