Hominy have you tried?

If you’ve ever had grits, polenta, or other foods made with cornmeal, you’ve eaten the very same maize corn that is used to make hominy.

Hominy is a corn product made by soaking the kernels of maize corn (not the sweet corn we nibble off the cob) in an alkali solution. About.com explains that during the soaking process, the outer hull and germ are eroded from the corn, and the grain swells, retaining the moisture from the solution. After the hominy is prepared, it can be used in many ways, including being dried and ground into hominy grits, or cooked and added to soups and stews.

Once the hominy is cooked it takes on a soft and slightly chewy texture, similar to the taste and texture of supersaturated (or overcooked) white rice. Although hominy has a mushy bite, it maintains its shape throughout the soaking and cooking process, making it a perfect addition to soups, as it does not easily breakdown or dissolve in its cooking liquid – there’s no need to worry that your soup will be unpleasantly viscous and starchy.
 
Posole is a classic Mexican stew whose signature ingredient is hominy. Recipes for posole vary, some are vegetarian, some feature pork or chicken, and some are made with seafood; but they all have one ingredient in common- hominy, since corn and its many derivatives are staples in Mexican cuisine.

Because hominy is rather bland on its own, it is best when accompanied by meats, vegetables, spices, and broth in a flavorful stew; however, hominy is a unique addition to rice and bean dishes. Since it’s a starch with a size and texture comparative to beans, hominy can also replace beans in many recipes.

You can find canned hominy in just about any grocery store in the canned or international food aisles. Canned hominy is the simplest to use in recipes because it has already been cooked. It need only be rinsed and drained of its salty canning solution before being added to any recipe.