Pinole: anyone have recipes?

[The Elderly Kid]

I've frequently read of an iron ration carried by Southwest frontiersmen and Mexicans called pinole. It is described as made from parched corn, ground to meal and sometimes with sugar and cinnamon added for flavor. Apparently you just poured some into your hand, added a little water to form a paste, and ate it. Travelers subsisted for extended periods on pinole and jerky, and often on pinole alone. Doesn't sound like the most appetising stuff in the world, but does anyone know a recipe for making pinole? I'd like to try it at least once for the frontier experience and to be able to say that I did.

[Delmonico]

You've pretty well got it already, parch some corn, a flint corn would be the best, that stuff that is multi-colored they sell in the fall is a flint corn.  When parched grind it and add some brown sugar and cinnamon if desired.

[The Elderly Kid]

Thanks, Delmonico.
One question: just how do you parch corn? Does it take heat or do you just leave it out in the sun? Sort of corn jerky? Then, what's the best way to grind it? I have an ancient metate my father-in law found in an old ruin back in the 30s, complete with mano, but I cringe at the thought of grinding corn in it. Will, say, a coffee grinder do as well?

[Marshal Will Wingam]

This sounds a lot like grits. How does it differ?

[Delmonico]

This sounds a lot like grits. How does it differ?

Grits has the hull remove by lye before it it ground.  The old non-quick grits are just un-cook hominy that is ground

Get a skillet, iron is best and just heat it and keep the corn stired till it browns well and expands.  It will not pop like pop corn and you don't need any oil or grease but a little bit won't hurt, but for long storage the lard they would have had to use might turn rancid.  It is basiclly the same as roasting coffee beans in a skillet like the soldiers in the Indian Wars had to do since the army was to cheap to issure Arbuckles.  Before that time most folks roasted their own coffee that way.

On caution on the Pinole, it might not be the thing for someone know to have pylops, diverticulum or other type problems butcause this stuff is roughage at it's best or worse, depends on how you look at it. 

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Thanks, Del. I was wondering about that.

[boot strap jack]

On the parched corn subject, parch it with bacon grease, salt after like fries. If you are my family it won't last long enough to turn bad.

[Mogorilla]

I concur, that stuff is tasty.   My grandfather was born 1880 and he would toast wheat kernels in a pan with just a touch of bacon grease, salt after toasted and eat them.   He died in 1971 when I was 5, but this is one memory I have of him, he would grow a patch of wheat in back just for this.   My dad did it for him and me for years after, but outside of my family I have never heard of anyone doing this with wheat.  Anyone hear of it?

[El Peludo]

parch it with bacon grease, salt after like fries.

Sort'a like "CornNuts" with the hull still on, huh?

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I concur, that stuff is tasty.   My grandfather was born 1880 and he would toast wheat kernels in a pan with just a touch of bacon grease, salt after toasted and eat them.   He died in 1971 when I was 5, but this is one memory I have of him, he would grow a patch of wheat in back just for this.   My dad did it for him and me for years after, but outside of my family I have never heard of anyone doing this with wheat.  Anyone hear of it?

It's new to me, but it sounds good. I may have to try that one of these days.

[Top Kick Ken]

This one is from one of my mom's cookbooks.  It is a cookbook of California Mission Recipes...adapted for "Modern Usage".  I've never tried this one yet.  I haven't tried it yet, but it seems to make sense.   Enjoy!   

Nixtamal (for Masa or Pinole)

1 gallon water
1/4 cup unslaked Lime
2 qts dry corn (Indian Maize or field corn)

In a galvanized vessel safe cooking vessel (Consider Stainless steel, cast Iron, Crock pot etc.) mix the water and lime, stirring with a clean wooden stick or spoon.  Add the corn and continue stirring until the effervescence stops.  Cook over medium heat (DO NOT BOIL.) about 1 hour, until the hulls can be easily rubbed off from the kernels.  Remove from the heat and allow to stand until the following day when the hulls can be removed without any trouble.  Then wash the kernels in several changes of cold water until any trace of lime is removed.  Drain well.

(post edited for safety reasons, the use of galvanized materials cannot be recommended for the preparation of food.  Use an alternative to replace the galvanized vessel in this recipe)

Pinole

Toast the amount of Nixtamal desired, then grind coarsely.  Serve with sugar, cinnamon and cream.  The addition of fresh fruit to the Pinole makes it a special dish.

[El Peludo]

Top Kick Ken wrote:

In a galvanized vessel mix the water and (unslaked)lime...........

Wouldn't that be asking for zinc poisoning??  Seems to me that using any acid or alkaline compound in a plated pot would be a no-no.  A crock, iron pot, or stainless might be a better bet.

[Top Kick Ken]

Top Kick Ken wrote:

Wouldn't that be asking for zinc poisoning??  Seems to me that using any acid or alkaline compound in a plated pot would be a no-no.  A crock, iron pot, or stainless might be a better bet.

I don't know much about zinc poisoning, but if there is a chance of it, I'd recommend using something else...I think any of the things you list could and probably should be used instead (just to be safe).  I merely posted the recipe I found in the book.  The book was first published in 1965 and the copy I have is a second edition, printed in 1969. 

Top Kick Ken

[Delmonico]

Zinc poisoning is a interesting study, to cook in zinc, most likely would not be enogh to harm you, the body needs some zinc.  To eat the zinc pan could be enough.  To overheat the pan and burn the zinc and breath the fumes is really bad.  I would day away from the zinc for cooking, just to be safe.

[Top Kick Ken]

Howdy all,

I edited my previous post to amend the recipe for Pinole and decided to look for other recipes and this one turned up on a website of Native American Recipes.  http://www.ocbtracker.com/ladypixel/natrec1.html

Lots of other good ones there

Pinole (Hot Corn Drink)
 
      2 c blue or white cornmeal
      1/2 c sugar
      1/2 t cinnamon
      milk


         Brown the cornmeal in a hot 425 degree oven for 8-10 minutes by spreading
in a thin layer on a cookie sheet, stirring several times to prevent scorching.  Add
sugar and cinnamon and use like cocoa in about the same proportions, stirred into
hot milk and simmered for 15 minutes.

[oscar]

My wifes family are farmer/ranchers from Kansas. We meaning my wife and I make a whole wheat kernal  casserol. We don't call it Pinole. Have never heard of it. We cook the wheat whole in a skillet with butter, slivered almonds mushrooms and then bake it for 30 mins at 350. The wheat absorbs the butter and softens, expands. This stuff is so good you won't know what hit you. Every time we make it there is nothing left. yes it is roughage but what a wonderful way to get it. It is to die for . I will find the recipe and post it here. It's late and I will do it later.

Oscar,

[oscar]

My relatives through marriage take whole wheat kernals they harvest from their wheat fields and they ""parch" it in a pan with butter and salt. Then add in muhrooms, and water chessnuts sliced. Add sliced almonds on the top and bake for 30min.s @ 350.
This makes one killer side dish that never lasts. There is never any leftover. It is bad for anyone with dyreticulytum but a delacacy for the rest.

oscar,