Of the many road-trip snacks hanging on hooks in gas stations and rest stops across this great nation, one stands above all others for the Barber family: the mighty Corn Nut. Even now, I’ve got to fry up a batch any time my husband and I are planning to hit the road. Old habits die hard.
If you’re using canned hominy, I know it sounds counterintuitive to bake the corn before frying it, but it’s an absolutely necessary step. Do not—I repeat, do not—fry wet hominy or any other food unless you enjoy boiling oil splattering all over your kitchen and onto your skin. The water in each kernel quickly evaporates into steam when it hits the hot oil, causing the kernels to explode. Err on the safe side and dehydrate the corn in the oven!
YIELD: about 4 cups
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes, plus soaking time if using dried hominy
DIFFICULTY: 2
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: electric deep fryer (or a large Dutch oven and a candy/oil thermometer), splatter screen, metal skimmer, fine-mesh strainer
2 (15-ounce) cans hominy, or 12 ounces dried hominy or dried whole corn kernels
corn or vegetable oil for frying
cornstarch
kosher salt
FOR DRIED HOMINY OR WHOLE CORN:
In a deep saucepan, cover the kernels with at least 2 inches of water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover, remove from the heat, and allow to soak for at least 4 hours, or up to 12 hours. Drain and pat dry.
FOR CANNED HOMINY:
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Drain and rinse the hominy in a mesh strainer. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel and gently pat dry. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes. (There is no need to bake dried hominy or corn that has been soaked.)
FRY THE CORN NUTS:
Heat at least 2 inches of vegetable or canola oil to 350°F in an electric deep fryer or large, high-sided pot. Line a large baking sheet with paper towels and top with an upside-down wire cooling rack (see Deep Frying 101, page 188). Have a splatter screen at the ready if your deep fryer doesn’t have a vented lid: flaming-hot escaping corn is dangerous and painful.
Toss the hominy with enough cornstarch to lightly coat each kernel, then pour into a fine-mesh strainer and shake gently over the sink to remove any excess cornstarch.
Add the hominy to the hot oil, in batches if necessary to prevent overcrowding, and fry for about 6 minutes, until the bubbles subside and the corn has a golden brown coating. Frying time will vary depending on your equipment, so watch carefully, and use a splatter screen if your fryer doesn’t have a safety lid.
Transfer the corn nuts with a metal skimmer or mesh strainer to the lined baking sheet to drain; they will still be slightly chewy when removed from the oil, but they’ll crisp up as they cool. Immediately sprinkle very liberally with kosher salt. Serve at room temperature.
Store the corn nuts at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week.
WHAT’S YOUR DAMAGE?
As every girl who came of age in the ’90s knows, “BQ” Corn Nuts play a crucial role in the plot of the cult film Heathers—truth be told, though I’m more Betty Finn than Heather Chandler, they’re my favorite flavor, too. Make your own by whirring up a batch of BBQ powder from the potato chip recipe on page 83 and shaking with the just-fried corn nuts in a zip-top bag. Just don’t make any drain-cleaner cocktails to go with them.