A Simple Hominy Recipe
Hello there. For starters, this recipe is not my own. It was shared with me (and many others) by Dr. Tammy Greer at the University of Southern Mississippi during an event I can only describe as sublime. I should probably also note that I have yet to attempt this recipe myself. The bag of hominy I was given, with the recipe folded up inside, sits solemnly on a shelf in my pantry. Before I dive too deep into this story, though, I need to explain exactly what hominy is. When I was gifted this recipe, I had never heard of hominy, so I wouldn't be surprised if someone reading this is also unfamiliar with that name. Simply put, hominy is corn. But to leave my explanation at that would be a disservice to the indigenous innovators from centuries ago who are responsible for this food. Hominy is a kind of corn that has been put through a process known as nixtamalization. This involves treating corn with an alkali, such as lye or lime (not the fruit), which provides an array of benefits. According to my very surface-level research, this treatment helps soften the corn kernel, making it easier to chew and digest. Additionally, nixtamalization prevents corn from sprouting while in storage by killing its "germ." This process also enables the release of niacin into the body during digestion. Niacin, otherwise known as vitamin B3, is an essential nutrient in our diets. While this process was developed in or around Mexico, over time, it spread north and eventually across the continent, allowing people to unlock more nutrients from corn than ever before. When I set out writing this recipe, I did not intend for it to include a mini science lesson; instead, I merely wanted to demonstrate just one way that indigenous peoples have been inventing new ways of surviving and thriving in their environments for millennia. With that, I would like to shift focus back to the event where I received this humble bag of hominy. On USM's campus, there's a very special little spot tucked behind the International and Liberal Arts Buildings, and it is the Medicine Wheel Garden. This small garden, separated into four distinct quadrants, is filled with plants native to Mississippi. Many of the plants have medicinal uses, but others are edible or serve as construction materials. The garden is also dotted with tiny plaques providing the names and uses of most of the plants that call the garden home. It was last November, during the celebration of the Medicine Wheel Garden's 20th birthday, that I received my bag of hominy. For me, this was an event full of learning and new experiences, new people, as well as new flavors. Before this event, I was anything but familiar with Choctaw cuisine and culture. To this day, I believe that remains true, but I did get a taste of Choctaw cooking that night. Little black crackers made from dock, giant turkey legs, plump blackberries, and sweet, dark purple grape dumplings were just a few of the things served at this event. Not to mention the range of all-natural beverages that were provided. As I said, this was a night full of new flavors, but it was also a night full of learning opportunities. I got to hear hymns and other songs that my ears had never before had the pleasure of experiencing, and learn about a view of the world entirely different from my own. Furthermore, this night served as a lesson to me about our need to pay more attention to the voices of indigenous people. Indigenous people are the original stewards of the land we live on, and they are the most familiar with how to best have a healthy relationship with this land. Despite all the hardships they face, they remain, and they still find ways to thrive. Needless to say, I am eternally grateful to Dr. Tammy Greer and every other person who assisted in organizing this event. They made my short time at USM all the more memorable to me, and I hope to finally prepare this recipe for myself someday soon. I'd also like to express my appreciation for the many people who conduct research to make information available on Wikipedia, for without it, I would not have been able to fill this text box nearly as much as I did.
- Sincerely, Ira
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb hominy
- 1 quart or 1/4 gallon turkey (or chicken or veggie) broth
- 1/2 lb smoked turkey (or chicken or pork)
- salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Wash and clean the dried hominy thoroughly to remove any debris. If you soak it overnight, you can reduce the cooking time.
- Bring the broth to a boil in a large pot. Add the hominy and reduce the heat to a slow simmer. Stir often to prevent scorching.
- When the hominy is softening, but not fully tender, add the meat to the pot.
- Continue to cook slowly for about four hours, or until both the meat and hominy are tender and soft. The mixture should have a thick, soupy consistency; add more broth as needed to maintain that consistency.
- Once finished cooking, add salt and pepper to taste.
