I’m always looking for new projects that help me understand food on a deeper level, especially where chemistry meets tradition. I love digging into the why behind certain techniques, and nixtamalization is a perfect example of that intersection.
Nixtamalization is the ancient process of soaking and cooking dried corn in an alkaline solution, typically water mixed with calcium hydroxide (also called slaked lime or cal). After soaking, the corn is rinsed and often dehulled. This method has been used for thousands of years by Indigenous cultures across Mesoamerica and is still widely practiced today throughout Mexico and Central America.
This process does a lot more than just soften corn. It:
And while this is a bit of a labor of love, it produces something far superior to what you’ll find in a can.
You can nixtamalize just about any kind of dried corn, even popcorn, although field corn is most commonly used. Field corn has the starch and structure needed for masa or hominy. Sweet corn, on the other hand, isn’t typically used because it’s harvested when young and doesn’t have the right starch profile once dried.
For this project, I used 4 cups of dried white corn purchased from a local Mexican grocery store here in Chicago. This type is ideal for making hominy or masa.
I also picked up my cal from that same grocery store. You can find it at most Mexican markets. Just ask, and someone will usually point you in the right direction. It can go by several names: cal, lime, slaked lime, whitewash, and occasionally even under brand names like “Nick’s Tamal.” It’s also easily found online.
Here’s how I nixtamalized my batch:
At this stage, the corn isn’t quite ready to eat yet. It still needs to be simmered for 2–3 hours in fresh water until the kernels open up and become tender and chewy. This final step is what turns it into hominy.
If you’re making pozole, like I did, you can add the rinsed corn directly to your pot at the beginning of the cooking process, along with your pork or other proteins, and let everything simmer together. This allows the flavors to meld while the corn finishes cooking.
If you’ve dehydrated the nixtamalized corn, like I did with half my batch, just store it in an airtight container. It can be rehydrated later, ground into masa, or used to make dishes like atole or tamales from scratch.
Nixtamalization takes time and a bit of effort, but it pays off. It’s a process rooted in tradition, science, and flavor and it connects you to a long lineage of cooks who understood exactly what they were doing. If you’ve got some dried corn and a little patience, I highly recommend giving it a try.
To become familiar with more Mexican ingredients and flavors, don't miss our hands-on Cinco de Mayo class on Monday, May 5 at 6pm at Lincoln Square. You'll learn to make: