# Making Masa de Harina



## Country Doula (Oct 14, 2010)

I'm interested in making my own corn flour. Does anyone have experience or information on what corn is most appropriate to use, where to get supplies, and steps to make it?

I have some sweet corn that I let dry on the cob and I was looking for some ways to use it.

Thanks!

Country Doula


----------



## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

Does this corn flour come from dried hominy?


----------



## Country Doula (Oct 14, 2010)

Bret

No, I just have a stash of dried corn that I shucked off the cob. Does it need to be dried hominy?

Country Doula


----------



## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

I think that the dough might be made from dried corn that has been soaked in lime water. Isn't that hominy? 

It looks like a lot of work the old fashioned way but with todays blenders and food processors it may not be too bad. I think the lime could also be what gives corn tortillias that distinctive flavor and aroma that we all like. 

I don' remember my source but it could be Taste of Santa Fe at your Library.

I would love to taste the warm scratch course tortillas. Good luck. Even a failure will be excellent.


----------



## suzyhomemaker09 (Sep 24, 2004)

From what I understand masa harina is made by this process...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nixtamalization


----------



## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Sweet corn doesn't make good hominy and you need hominy for masa harina. You can grind it for corn bread though.


----------



## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

Country Doula said:


> Bret
> 
> No, I just have a stash of dried corn that I shucked off the cob. Does it need to be dried hominy?
> 
> Country Doula


Hominy is actually soaked in lye, not lime.


----------



## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

You can use lye, lime or baking soda to make hominy. I like the baking soda or lime best.


----------



## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

Cyngbaeld said:


> You can use lye, lime or baking soda to make hominy. I like the baking soda or lime best.


I'm glad to know that. I had always heard it had to be soaked in lye, which is why I've always been leery to try it at home.


----------



## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Try with baking soda. Put 1/4 cup baking soda per qt of field (flour) corn and water to cover plus a couple of inches. Put a lid on, put the pot on the stove and hold at a bare simmer till the hull starts to slip. Then turn the heat off and throw a heavy towel over the pot. Let it set all night. If the hulls are still on in the morning you can cook it a bit longer. When most of the hulls have slipped, pour it into a colander in the sink and rinse thoroughly. You shouldn't be able to taste much salt once it is rinsed. Then put fresh water in and back on the stove to cook till most is not crunchy. I like it cooked till just a bit chewy. I freeze it and thaw what I need. It will finish cooking in whatever dish you are using. It can also be dried and ground in a mill or ground wet in a food processor.


----------



## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

Thanks for the recipe. Will definitely have to give this a try.


----------



## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

So if I take some canned hominy I can grind it for masa (dough)?

That would be a fun experiment.

Have a good day!


----------



## suzyhomemaker09 (Sep 24, 2004)

rabbitgeek said:


> So if I take some canned hominy I can grind it for masa (dough)?
> 
> That would be a fun experiment.
> 
> Have a good day!


I'd imagine you'd have to dry it 1st 
not very cost efficient to do it that way as a can of hominy around here costs almost as much a s a5lb bag of masa harina.


----------



## Country Doula (Oct 14, 2010)

Cyngbaeld said:


> Sweet corn doesn't make good hominy and you need hominy for masa harina. You can grind it for corn bread though.



So basically, I can't make masa 

Would you be willing to tell me what kind of corn is needed to make masa?

Thanks!

Country Doula


----------



## suzyhomemaker09 (Sep 24, 2004)

Perhaps this will help....

http://www.howtomakehominyfromcorn....gations-into-making-hominy-from-dry-corn.html


----------



## Country Doula (Oct 14, 2010)

Thanks suzyhomemaker09!

Has anyone here actually made Masa de Harina before?


Country Doula


----------



## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

You need flour corn. I use the field corn from the feed store.


----------



## Country Doula (Oct 14, 2010)

@Cyngbaeld

Thanks! I'll look into getting some of that. I might just try it with my corn anyway and see how it goes. I don't know what else I'm going to use all that corn for

Country Doula


----------



## sewtlm (Mar 22, 2006)

Food network and Good Eats did a show on how to make this. It was the first show about tortillas. And the recipe works. The corn type is FLINT not field, Sweet or popcorn.


----------



## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

Country Doula said:


> @Cyngbaeld
> 
> Thanks! I'll look into getting some of that. I might just try it with my corn anyway and see how it goes. I don't know what else I'm going to use all that corn for
> 
> Country Doula


A true Southwestern larder would include what ever was available and the cook would make do also. Sounds like a good project.


----------



## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

You need DENT not FLINT corn. Field corn is dent.


----------

