Fried Cornmeal Mush Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (2024)

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Old Fashioned Fried Cornmeal Mush is a recipe that was quite popular in past generations as it features simple ingredients. Often thought of as an Amish recipe, cornmeal mush is easy to make. Follow the simple instructions below to learn how to cook fried mush.

If you prefer a cornmeal mush that is served in a bowl and often topped with sugar and milk, try this cornmeal mush recipe.

Table of Contents

Old Fashioned Fried Cornmeal Mush

I became acquainted with fried cornmeal mush as a young girl. My grandma was a huge fan of cornmeal mush, and she would always order it when she saw it on a menu, particularly Bob Evan’s Fried Mush.

Grandma grew up eating this old fashioned dish and often made it for my Dad and his brothers. Dad describes it as more of a breakfast item or dessert since they doused it in maple syrup.

Grandma was a product of the Depression; she cooked inexpensive meals and utilized anything and everything, throwing nothing away. No wonder she made fried cornmeal mush, because it only has a few simple ingredients, and is dirt cheap to make.

Fried Mush Ingredients

Yellow Cornmeal

Water

Milk

Salt

Vegetable Oil

Butter

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Amish Fried Mush

Fried cornmeal mush has a crispy outside and a soft, creamy inside. Based on your personal preference, you can slice it up thinner or thicker before frying it in a combination of vegetable oil and butter.

I like to slice mine on the thinner side, approximately a quarter (1/4) of an inch thick. I love the crispiness of the outside, and I love to slather mine with real maple syrup. Although, I’m not so sure Grandma wouldn’t have made a batch of pancake syrup to top hers.Find a recipe for Old Fashioned Pancake Syrup here.

Old-Fashioned Mush Recipe

I was so excited when I found this recipe in the cookbook called Recipes from an American Farm.

Although I’ve eaten old-fashioned fried mush many times, the only times I’ve found it recently was in bulk food stores asAmish Fried Mush and Bob Evan’s fried mush on the menu.

Now that I know how easy it is to make, I’m going to keep a loaf of cornmeal mush on hand in the refrigerator so I can easily fry up a few slices when I get a craving for it.

How to Cook Fried Mush

Step By Step Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan, add water, milk and pinch of salt and bring to a boil.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together cold water and yellow cornmeal until well combined.
  3. Once the mixture on the stove boils, quickly stir in the cornmeal mixture. Continue stirring constantly until it comes back to a boil.
  4. Reduce the heat and simmer partially covered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Pour cornmeal mush into a loaf pan that’s been lined with plastic wrap or sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Cover the top with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm.
  6. Slice loaf into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices.
  7. Heat butter and vegetable oil in skillet until hot.
  8. Fry cornmeal slices over medium high heat until crispy and golden brown; flip and fry the other side.
  9. Use a slotted spoon to remove from oil. Drain excess oil on paper towels.
  10. Drizzle with maple syrup. Try serving along side a poached egg or sausage gravy.

For the full recipe steps and ingredient amounts for how to cook fried mush, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Recipe FAQs

  • Be sure to partially cover the cornmeal mush mixture as it simmers to prevent big splatters of oil all over your kitchen.
  • For a creamier center, cut the slices thicker more around 1/2 inch. Or, if you like a crisp slide of fried much, cut the slices thinner around 1/4 inch thick.
  • Refrigerate the cornmeal mush loaf covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
  • If you are looking for a cornmeal mush that is served in a bowl more like a cooked breakfast cereal (like grits or oatmeal), try this cornmeal mush recipe.
  • Check out our Amazon Store for our favorite pantry essentials.

Old Fashioned Breakfast Dishes

Buttermilk Oatmeal Pancake Recipe

Baked Oatmeal

Easy Chipped Beef Gravy

Grandma’s Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Fried Cornmeal Mush Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (13)

Print Recipe

Old Fashioned Fried Cornmeal Mush – How to Cook Fried Mush

Old Fashioned Fried Cornmeal Mush is a recipe from the past generation. Often thought of as an Amish recipe, cornmeal mush is easy to make. Follow these simple instructions for how to cook fried mush.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time35 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: amish fried mush, bob evans’s fried mush, cornmeal mush, fried cornmeal mush, fried mush, how to cook fried mush, old fashioned fried cornmeal mush

Servings: 8 servings

Author: Barbara

Ingredients

  • 3 cups water
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup cold water
  • 2 – 3 Tablespoons butter
  • 2 – 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions

  • Combine 3 cups water, milk and salt in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil.

    Fried Cornmeal Mush Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (14)

  • In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup cold water and yellow cornmeal.

    Fried Cornmeal Mush Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (15)

  • Stir cornmeal mixture into boiling water; contine to stir until it returns to a boil

    Fried Cornmeal Mush Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (16)

  • Reduce heat to a simmer and partially cover, cooking for 30 minutes, stirring often.

    Fried Cornmeal Mush Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (17)

  • Pour into a greased loaf pan or a loaf pan lined in plastic wrap. Cover the top with plastic, and refrigerate until firm, a minimum of 12 hours.

    Fried Cornmeal Mush Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (18)

  • Slice cornmeal loaf in 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices.

    Fried Cornmeal Mush Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (19)

  • Heat butter and vegetable oil in a skillet and fry until brown and crisp on both sides.

    Fried Cornmeal Mush Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (20)

  • Drain slices on paper towel to remove excess oil. Serve topped with maple syrup.

    Fried Cornmeal Mush Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (21)

Notes

  • Be sure to partially cover the cornmeal mush mixture as it simmers to prevent big splatters all over your kitchen.
  • For a creamier center, cut the slices thicker more around 1/2 inch. Or, if you like the crispness, cut them smaller around 1/4 inch thick.
  • Refrigerate the cornmeal mush loaf covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
  • Serve with Old Fashioned Pancake Syrup.
Fried Cornmeal Mush Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (22)
Fried Cornmeal Mush Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between fried mush and polenta? ›

Commercial mush, sold in bricks in supermarkets — and wonderful for breakfast — has a heavy texture and an assertive corn flavor. Homemade polenta has a creamier, more delicate texture and a noticeably sweeter flavor because of the longer cooking time. Italians say true polenta has a more interesting texture, too.

Is cornmeal mush good for you? ›

Aside from being delicious, corn mush is also a nutritious dish. Cornmeal is rich in fiber and essential vitamins and minerals, making it a healthy addition to any diet. It is also gluten-free, making it an excellent alternative for those with gluten intolerance.

What is fried mush made of? ›

Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer. Cornmeal mush is a Southern favorite—a combination of cornmeal and water or milk, cooked on the stove until it has a creamy consistency.

What is another name for cornmeal mush? ›

Call it cornmeal porridge, polenta, grits, cou cou, mamaliga, or l'escaoutoun; these cornmeal mushes are produced and consumed in hundreds of ways in their respective regions. Some are sweet, some are savory, and some are both.

What is the Italian name of the dish known in English as cornmeal mush? ›

Polenta (Italian Cornmeal Mush) Recipe.

Are grits the same as cornmeal mush? ›

Grits: Grits are a type of cornmeal mush that originated with Native Americans and is still widely consumed across the southern United States today. Grits are most commonly served as breakfast or a side dish to other meals. Similar to cornmeal, grits are made from dried and ground corn but are usually a coarser grind.

Who eats cornmeal mush? ›

Usage is especially common in the eastern and southeastern United States. It is customary in the midwestern United States to eat it with maple syrup or molasses. In Eastern Europe, milk is poured over the meal once served and cooled down, rather than being boiled in it.

Does cornmeal raise blood sugar? ›

Corn meal is prepared as a porridge, used in pancake batter, or used to make cornbread. Corn meal has a glycemic index between 68-70. It is at the cusp of moderate to high GI, and it will likely increase your blood sugars.

Is cornmeal an inflammatory food? ›

Corn is one of the seven Hi-FI foods, or the foods most likely to cause an inflammatory reaction. Inflammation isn't always bad. Acute inflammation is a necessary part of the healing process—it's what causes the redness or swelling when your immune system sends healing cells to a cut on your finger or a swollen ankle.

Does polenta taste like mash? ›

Polenta is like the Italian version of mashed potatoes. It's great by itself but it's wonderful with a yummy ragu or the addition of cheese and herbs - like this Parmesan Polenta. It's a common dish in Northern Italy and I love that it's so versatile…

What the heck is polenta? ›

Polenta is a northern Italian dish made of coarsely ground corn. Freshly cooked, polenta is soft and creamy, like porridge or mush, and makes a terrific bed for sauces. It's a good gluten-free substitute for just about any dish that calls for pasta.

Are grits and mush the same thing? ›

When it comes to mush, however—made just like grits but with their finer counterpart, cornmeal—it's another story. Mush can be cooked up and fried, but our recipe makes a soft breakfast porridge that has the creamy, beaded texture of cream of wheat and the bright, thrilling taste of heirloom corn.

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