Cooking polenta: is stirring for 30 minutes really necessary?
In every polenta recipe I have ever seen, the authors insist that the polenta has to be stirred over low heat for half an hour or so before it is thoroughly cooked. When I worked in an Italian restaurant, I would follow this process (commonly making many portions at a time).
However, when making it at home in small portions, I find it tastes just the same if it is whisked over low heat for just enough time for the grain to absorb the liquid.
Why the insistence on cooking small portions (4?) for half an hour?
Please note that I am talking about normal fine grain polenta here, not some sort of 'quick' polenta.
Best Answer
It definitely does not need to be stirred continuously. Fairly frequently, yes, to avoid burning on the bottom, but not constantly. Cooking for more or less time has more impact on texture than flavor. Cooked briefly, you get more of a grain-like cream of wheat texture. Cooked long, you get a creamier, smoother result. Both can be good, but the creamy style is more traditional.
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Quick Answer about "Cooking polenta: is stirring for 30 minutes really necessary?"
Polenta mixture should still be slightly loose. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, whisking every 5 to 6 minutes. When polenta is too thick to whisk, stir with a wooden spoon. Polenta is done when texture is creamy and the individual grains are tender.Does polenta need to be constantly stirred?
Polenta doesn't need constant stirring after all.Do you have to cook polenta for 30 minutes?
But if you let it cook for a little longer, you'll find that the polenta tastes sweeter and more deeply corn-like, and any last lingering grittiness from the ground corn smooths away. I love it at 30 minutes, but go a little longer if you have time or want a thicker polenta.What is the secret to making polenta?
\u201cThe trick is to cook it really slowly, so the bramata expands,\u201d Randall explains. \u201cWhen it's done, the polenta comes away from the sides of the pan and there'll be little crusts all over the outside.\u201d Stirring is also part and parcel of the process, but how much is a point of some contention.How long does polenta take to thicken?
Slowly stream in 1 cup of course, ground polenta, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking often, until it begins to thicken, around 5 minutes. You could use a spoon, but whisking as it thickens will break up clumps and make polenta that is creamier throughout.Perfect Polenta - How to Make Soft Polenta
More answers regarding cooking polenta: is stirring for 30 minutes really necessary?
Answer 2
Cooks Illustrated, in the March 2010 issue, tackled this problem in their usually obsessive fashion. The full recipe is behind their paywall, but they found that a pinch of baking soda added to coarse-ground degerminated cornmeal resulted in a shorter cooking time over low heat (about 30 minutes total), with whisking needed for the first minute, about 5 minutes in, and then right at the end when you add butter and Parmesan. The other things of interest in their recipe is the 5-to-1 water to polenta ratio, and covering the pot during cooking.
Answer 3
You definitely don't have to. In fact Alton Brown's recipe calls for only stirring 3-4 times during the cooking process -> http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/savory-polenta-recipe/index.html
Answer 4
I use a double boiler and it cooks for ~1.5 hours with only a few stirs. I got the method from Lynn Rosetto Kasper and it works great. No muss, no fuss. Link: http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/recipes/misc_polenta.html
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