Why is my first polenta not easy to cut?

Why is my first polenta not easy to cut? - Golden Statuette and Stars on Yellow Background

I've cooked my first polenta.

it was too dampish, without shape, but also not easily sectile: it couldnt be easily cut.

What should I do better next time?



Best Answer

As your question stands, the possible answers are essentially:

  • You used too much liquid or too little cornmeal.
  • You didn't cook it long enough.
  • You didn't cool it enough for it to firm up.

Polenta is the sort of food that you should make by trusting your senses over a recipe. You should be able to tell, with a little bit of experience, whether it's too thin and wet after cooking for it to set once it cools. If it is, you can cook it a bit longer on low heat to get more water out of it, and the next time you can compensate with more cornmeal or less liquid.

Also, since I don't know what recipe you used, do note that there are also recipes out there for soft polenta (usually described as such), which is intended to be served soft, not cut.




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How do you thin out polenta?

1. Cut polenta into 2-inch cubes, then push through fine plate of potato ricer. 2. Stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup milk, water, or broth per 1 cup polenta to reach desired consistency.

How do you keep polenta from getting hard?

If polenta becomes too firm or begins to set, add a small amount of water, stock, or milk and beat in with a whisk until liquid is fully incorporated and no lumps remain.

Why is my polenta rubbery?

The natural starch in the cornmeal helps firm it up into a slightly rubbery sheet that can be cleanly cut into geometric shapes, most often into triangles the size of toast points.

Do you have to stir polenta constantly?

(Which is why some recipes for polenta dictate that the constant stirring is truly necessary only at the beginning and then intermittently.) Placing the pot in an oven surrounds it with a uniform, unvarying temperature. When the temperature is constant, the stirring need not be.



How to Make Perfect Polenta | Serious Eats




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