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If you’ve been keeping up with my Grain Highlight series, I’m taking a break from perhaps a usual suspect, to bring you another extremely loved grain in our household – Corn.
I didn’t realize how versatile corn was (and how often we’d use it) until milling grains at home. Whether it’s cornbread or grits or popcorn – we consume corn at least once a week in one form or another. We also love creamed corn, but that’s talking about when it’s fresh. Right now, I’m talking about when it’s dried.
What kind of corn can you mill into grits or cornmeal?
The main two types of corn for milling are dent corn and popcorn. Both are excellent, but you may be unable to mill popcorn depending on the type of mill that you have. I used to have a Nutrimill Classic which milled popcorn just fine but then I switched to the Mockmill which uses stones for grinding and cannot mill popcorn. Popcorn has a much harder outer shell than dent corn and this exterior will cause the mill to bind.
I have a whole post on grain mills and why you should mill your own grains at home, so make sure you give that a read if this world is new to you. The other article that you should check out, is one I wrote on frequently asked questions when grinding your own grits. It covers a lot on the topic of milling corn into cornmeal or grits.
Best recipes for home ground corn:
One corn recipe that I easily make once every two weeks or so, is my cornbread recipe. Y’all, I’m always amazed… every time… at how good that cornbread is. And it’s because of the fresh milled corn. Fresh milled corn has such a sweet, lovely, rich flavor that is unmatched in a bag of cornmeal that’s been sitting on the shelves. I promise, you will never go back once you try that recipe.
I have a few others that are based on that recipe: Tamale Pie, Cornbread Casserole, and Cornbread Dressing (you know, the kind you serve with turkey and homemade cranberry sauce). These are all so good and the first two mentioned (Tamale Pie and Cornbread Casserole) are in our monthly rotation throughout the year.
Where to find corn for milling…
Sometimes you can find dent corn or popcorn at a local health food store but typically, you’ll need to purchase it online. Azure Standard is a U.S. based nation-wide co-op that delivers once a month. They have a few corn options like blue, white, or yellow corn. Some other online resources include Breadtopia, Purcell Mountain Farms, and Bread Beckers (see if there is a co-op in your area especially if you want to buy in bulk).
