You can make cornmeal at home.Corn can be used to make your own cornmeal.Store-bought cornmeal will usually be less processed than homemade, making it higher in nutrition and taste.You will need to grind your corn using a grain mill or other grinding device after you have dehydrate it.
Step 1: Purchase corn from the store.
The preferred variety for this method is field or dent corn.You can use almost any type of corn, but you need to dry it thoroughly.There are different types of corn for sale.You already know that variety tastes good.If you want to use frozen corn from the grocery store, you need a bag of it.If you feel more adventurous, you can use nearly any variety of home-grown corn, but the process can be more time consuming since you need to dry it on the stalks.Popcorn that is uncooked would be the easiest option.Popcorn is already adequately dry so you won't need to dehydrate it.
Step 2: A grain mill is needed for grinding large amounts of corn.
Electric and hand-operated grain mills give you the most control over your effort.When grinding something as large and coarse as corn, hand-operated grain mills may need a lot of strength.Purchase a grain mill online or at a large hardware store.
Step 3: Purchase an electronic grinder to prepare smaller batches.
If you don't have a grain mill, you can use a high-powered blender.It may also work.If you want to grind up dehydrated corn, a standard blender is not strong enough.If you want to prepare small amounts of cornmeal, you could use a mortar and pestle, spice grinder, or coffee grinder.
Step 4: Put the corn over the tray.
There is a bag of frozen corn kernels.Keep the corn in an even layer by spreading it over the dehydrator tray.If you want to dehydrate fresh corn, you need to slice the kernels off the cob with a kitchen knife.The equivalent of a bag of corn is a large ear.The corn can be dried from its frozen state.If the corn is broken apart by ice, you can use your counter or table to do it.
Step 5: The dehydrator needs to be set to 125 F.
Put the tray into the dehydrator and set the temperature to dry the corn.It is best to use an actual dehydrator rather than an oven since the temperature needs to be so low.Most ovens can't dry the corn without cooking it.
Step 6: The corn should behydrated for at least 12 hours.
After 8 hours, check the corn kernels.If it's completely dry, remove it from the dehydrator.Continue dehydrating the corn and check it every 30 to 60 minutes.If you want to check the status of the corn, take a few kernels and put them between your fingers.The dried kernels should no longer be soft.A second test can be performed by dropping a few kernels on a hard surface, like a counter or table.When ready, they should make a click sound.
Step 7: If you don't want to grind it immediately, put the dried corn into a container.
Transfer the dehydrated corn to a medium mixing bowl and set it aside, if you plan to make the cornmeal immediately.Attach the corn to a plastic bag or container.If you plan to make cornmeal within a week or two, you can use resealable plastic bags, but if you want to store it longer, use a canning jar or plastic container.If you plan to use the corn within a month, you can store it in dry, dark, room temperature conditions.It's best to keep it in your refrigerator or freezer.
Step 8: On the coarsest setting, grind the dried corn.
The machine has a coarsest setting.2 cups of dehydrated corn are grinded.You will need to grind multiple batches to make larger quantities of cornmeal.Put the corn into the machine and crank the handle to grind it.You should have a container beneath the grain mill to collect the corn.The exact method for adjusting the mill plates will vary by machine, so you need to consult the instructions for your grain mill to determine the proper procedure.You can adjust the coarseness with a knob on the side of the machine.If you are grinding the corn with a mortar and pestle, make sure to fill the mortar halfway with corn.The corn can be grinded into small pieces by crushing the corn on the sides and bottom of the mortar.When using an electric grain mill or a high-powered electric blender, you need to switch on the power instead of turning the handle.The coarseness of the grind can be adjusted by selecting from different grind options on the base.
Step 9: Put the ground cornmeal into a container.
The cornmeal should be dumped into a strainer.The finely ground pieces should be separated from the coarser chunks by using the strainer.You should use a mesh strainer with gaps between 16 and 32 inches.Pieces that are too coarse to be classified as meal may be passed by larger mesh strainers.Small pieces can be collected in a separate bowl beneath the strainer.The pieces that were caught in the strainer should be returned to the grain mill.
Step 10: The corn should be grinded using a fine setting.
The mill plates should be adjusted to a medium-grade coarseness.The corn should be grinded through the mill.Individual corn pieces should be about 8 inch in size once ground at this setting.During this step, it is important to change the coarseness to a fine setting.The larger pieces will not be ground down any further.
Step 11: The product can be sieved a second time.
Transfer the corn pieces back to the strainer.The finest pieces can be passed through the strainer from one side to the other.You will probably collect more cornmeal during this sifting than you did during the first, but in most cases, you will still be left with a noticeable amount of coarse grain caught in the strainer.
Step 12: On an even better setting, grind the corn a final time.
The machine should be set to medium-fine consistency.The pieces of ground corn that are still in the strainer should be returned to the machine.While the machine needs to be set to a fine degree of coarseness, you will probably need to avoid using the finest setting.Corn can be too coarse to pass through most mills.
Step 13: The remaining meal should be separated from the grits.
If you want to collect the fine meal in your original bowl, you need to sieve the ground corn through the mesh strainer one more time.The remnants of dehydrated corn are too coarse to pass through the sifter.At this point, you should have more cornmeal than leftover grits, and the amount should roughly match the original amount of dried corn you began with.If you are still not satisfied with the amount of cornmeal produced, you can pass the coarse grits through your grain mill one more time.Then use the mesh strainer to sift them again.The amount of cornmeal produced by a fourth pass is likely to be less than the amount produced in the previous two passes.Further passes through the grain mill may become less beneficial.
Step 14: If you want, you can cook the cornmeal immediately after making it.
If you want to retain the maximum amount of nutrition and flavor, you should use the cornmeal the same day or the next day.You can use the cornmeal you saved to make Johnny cakes.cornmeal can be used in any recipe that calls for it, including cornmeal mush and cornmeal-based fish batter.
Step 15: If you use it within a few months, seal it in plastic bags.
It should not turn rancid.The bag contains the cornmeal.Press out as much air as possible, then seal the bag, leaving just 1 inch of open space along the seal.The air should be sucked out through a straw.Carefully do this step to avoid accidentally inhaling bits of cornmeal.Remove the straw and seal the opening.It is possible to store bags of cornmeal in dark, dry and slightly cool conditions for up to a year.
Step 16: If you don't want to cook with leftover cornmeal, freeze it.
You can store corn meal in your freezer if you don't plan to use it immediately.About 2 inch (1.3 cm) of empty headspace is left after packing the cornmeal into an appropriate jar or other container.You can store the jar in the freezer for as long as 24 months.The cornmeal can be used directly from the freezer.If you want to make a temperature-sensitive recipe, you should thaw the cornmeal at room temperature.