Hominy and Butter

Hominy — dried corn kernels treated with lye to remove the outer hull (nixtamalization) — was a staple grain of Appalachian cooking from the earliest Native American and colonial period. Canned hominy by the 1960s made it available year-round. Simply heated with butter and salt, hominy had a distinctive alkaline, corn-pudding character that was deeply satisfying and unlike anything made from regular corn.

Ingredients

• 1 can (29 oz) hominy (white or yellow), drained and rinsed
• 2 tbsp butter
• Salt and black pepper
• Optional: ¼ cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• Optional: hot sauce

Directions

1. Drain and rinse canned hominy well.

Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat.

1. Add hominy kernels. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5–7 minutes until heated through and some kernels begin to lightly brown.

Season generously with salt and black pepper.

1. Add shredded cheese if using, and stir until melted.
2. Serve hot, or pack warm in a mason jar for the lunch pail.
3. Add hot sauce at the table.

Notes

Hominy has a distinctive alkaline flavor from the nixtamal process — it tastes like nothing else. The large, chewy kernels are satisfying in a completely different way from regular corn. Traditional mountain families made hominy from scratch with hardwood ash lye — a two-day process. Canned hominy is an honest substitute.