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Hulled Corn

A method of removing corn hulls by boiling with hardwood ashes and water, then straining and salting.

From an old cookbook · modernised transcription
By Shutt, William E., Mrs., [from old catalog] comp · From a historical cookbook (Internet Archive) · 2 ingredients
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Hulled Corn

Hulled Corn

Ingredients

Directions

Prepare

  1. Put a quantity of shelled corn in an iron kettle with enough water to cover.

Make the hulled corn

  1. Place two cups of hardwood ashes in a bag and boil with the corn until the hulls begin to start.

  2. Strain off the lye, remove the ash bag and boil in clear water.

  3. Strain off once again and boil until done.

  4. Salt to taste.

By Shutt, William E., Mrs., [from old catalog] comp. Recipe from a historical cookbook (Internet Archive).

Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures. See the original page.

Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it

Explore the science

What each ingredient does

Shelled corn (in the method)
Forms the main body of the dish once the hulls loosen and the kernels soften.
Hardwood ashes
Release lye that loosens the hulls from the kernels during boiling.

The step that matters

Straining off the lye. Lye from the ash bag must be fully drained before boiling in clear water; leftover lye keeps working on the corn and can over-soften or damage it, and rinsing removes the harsh alkaline taste.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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