Soaking corn in lime water

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Soaking corn in lime water
« on: January 25, 2008, 01:49:04 PM » by abbilynn

Do any of you do this before you use your corn meal? I was just reading in NT that she recommends this. Would you do this only for corn FLOUR or would you do this for corn meal also, like the kind you use to make corn bread? Does it change the taste of the corn bread?

Thanks
abbilynn

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Re: Soaking corn in lime water
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2008, 06:05:18 PM » by Mrs. B

Quote from: abbilynn on January 25, 2008, 01:49:04 PM

I was going to do this today and didn't read thru the whole instruction list so I bought a bunch of limes at the grocery in preparation.. I didn't realize that it was supposed to be pickling lime Embarrassed

I'll probably do it next time...

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Re: Soaking corn in lime water
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2008, 07:15:15 PM » by milmuth

Quote from: Mrs. B on January 25, 2008, 06:05:18 PM

I'll probably do it next time...

what is pickling lime?

« Last Edit: February 02, 2008, 06:29:24 PM by healthybratt »
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Re: Soaking corn in lime water
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2008, 07:19:54 PM » by abbilynn

Pickling lime is a powder that you mix with water and let sit overnight to make lime water. Then you use the lime water to soak the corn. I found it in the canning section bc you use it to make pickles when you are canning cucumbers.

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Re: Soaking corn in lime water
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2008, 08:14:38 PM » by likemanywaters

I have been hesitant to buy it for potential safety reasons. Sad

Supposedly, one of my great-grandparents died from inhaling too much of the stuff. I'm sure if you are cautious it is not a problem. I've also read, in a NGJ magazine "Corny 10 different ways". That corn can also be soaked in Lye water (made from hardwood ashes). Lye, Lime they both aren't the same thing are they? What would be the advantages, disadvantages of one or the other? Maybe I'll just stick to using ACV or whey.

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Re: Soaking corn in lime water
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2008, 11:22:29 AM » by abbilynn

Yeah, after reading this, I think I may not soak the corn. The pickling lime doesn't sound very safe. I wonder if it would accomplish anything to soak it in whey or vinegar? I've never heard of doing this, but maybe it would help?

Here's the link on the pickling lime.
http://www.practicallyedible.com/edible.nsf/encyclopaedia!openframeset&frame=Right&Src=/edible.nsf/pages/limechemical!opendocument

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Re: Soaking corn in lime water
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2008, 12:46:45 PM » by mhoward1999

Here is what I found about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcium_hydroxide I'm not sure what to make of it. Do we have any chemists in our midst? I mean, ANYTHING can be dangerous if used incorrectly, so just cause it can be caustic doesn't mean it's necessarily bad, but I sure want to know more before I use it! I read somewhere that the way it makes pickles crisp is by adding calcium to them. Does anyone know?

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Re: Soaking corn in lime water
« Reply #7 on: January 26, 2008, 04:01:11 PM » by prairiechild

pickling lime is very high in fluoride, 75 parts per million

see the following link... http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.php

go down to the chemical analysis and you'll see the fluoride

« Last Edit: January 26, 2008, 04:03:52 PM by prairiechild »
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Re: Soaking corn in lime water
« Reply #8 on: January 27, 2008, 12:07:26 AM » by lotsaboys

When making lime water the powder settles to the bottom and you carefully pour off only the (lime) water for soaking. We've been doing this for quite some time now and have had no ill effects.

Soaking cornmeal in lime water is esp. important if you use a lot of corn products to avoid the vitamin B deficiency disease, pellagra. The soaking release Vitamin B which otherwise remains bound up in the grain. It also improves the amino acid quality of proteins in the germ. hth.

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Re: Soaking corn in lime water
« Reply #9 on: January 27, 2008, 09:40:09 AM » by likemanywaters

Yes. I know that's what Salley Fallon in Nourishing Traditions says. I need to look at my cookbook again to see if she says her sources. Do natives still do this in South American countries? Or do they more often use Lye water? Sometimes I wonder if it was a miscommunication? Lye & Lime sound similar. Probably not, but just wondering...

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And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory.

-Ezekiel 43:2

Re: Soaking corn in lime water
« Reply #10 on: January 27, 2008, 01:30:18 PM » by Mrs. B

I was reading thru the back of some of the Sue Gregg cookbooks, and I think that for general health soaking as you would any other grain would be alright using either lemon, ACV, buttermilk, etc...
I really think that lime water is more for the speicific release of the vitamins and the prevention of pellagra. I also don't know if the phytate levels are different for different grains... Corn seems so different on so many levels that maybe it isn't an issue if you are supplementing.
We don't eat a ton of corn, I am just slowly becoming a convert to soaking grains based upon the final taste and texture...

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Re: Soaking corn in lime water
« Reply #11 on: November 16, 2009, 04:45:55 PM » by png.mk

Has anyone followed the Nourshing Traditions cornbread recipe and soaked the cornmeal in limewater before cooking? I am planning on making it tomorrow, but was wondering if you indeed left the limewater in the cornmeal - is that safe? I did learn the difference between the different chemical types of lime...

"Calcium Oxide

Calcium Oxide is also called Quicklime (when water is added, it heats
up and bubbles like it's boiling, make it seem alive. "Quick" used to
be used in a sense that meant alive, as in the "quick and the dead").
It is also called unslaked Lime.

It is very dangerous to use, as it will react with any water, even the
slightest amount of perspiration or moisture on your skin, and burn
you severely. The steam given off is not toxic, but it is very hot and
can scald and burn.

Calcium Hydroxide

To make Calcium Hydroxide (aka Edible Lime, Hydrated Lime, CaH2O2),
Quicklime is treated with water. It heats up, evaporates the water,
and leaves behind a white powder. This converts Quicklime from Calcium
Oxide to Calcium Hydroxide. When Calcium Hydroxide is mixed in water,
it creates a very alkaline solution. This is also called slaked Lime,
as the Lime has been treated with as much water as it will take up,
"slaking" (satisfying) its thirst.

Pickling Lime

Pickling Lime is Calcium Hydroxide. It's also called "food-grade
Lime", because in making the Calcium Hydroxide the processors make
sure that the process remains pure and doesn't introduce anything
untoward (e.g. it's not done in rusty old bins).
http://www.practicallyedible.com/edible.nsf/Pages/limechemical
"

Still doesn't sound like it should be left in your food.

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