Fried Cornmeal Mush

This was a treat when I was growing up. Now my kids LOVE it. However, I make one minor change: Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. In a small bowl, combine cornmeal and the last cup of water and the salt. Stir this into the boiling water very slowly. Stir constantly until thickened. We have always eaten this with butter and syrup. It is very tasty.

This is the best recipe for fried cornmeal mush I have ever had. –Sorry Grandma- I add the salt, 2 tablespoons butter, and food coloring to the water. Stir cornmeal over med heat until it is dough-like consistency. Our CHRISTmas morning tradition has been Red fried cornmeal mush one year and Green the next. Doing it in the oven at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes(per side) was a real blessing, and tasted terrific. (I still made a few on the stovetop, as I like mine real crispy. The rest of the family LOVED the oven done ones. Jam, syrup, powdered sugar- goes well with just about anything.

I love love love cornmeal mush and am thrilled to finally have a written recipe! For a twist, add cooked crumbled sausage (we prefer spicy sausage). We've always sliced ours very thin, salted lightly and baked until golden (about 10 min., but watch closely) in a 400 degree oven instead of frying.

My local market used to sell cornmeal mush in the refrigerator case and I guess due to east coasters really not knowing what it was, they discontinued it. My hubby and I had it at a Bob Evans when we traveled to a wedding in Chicago and loved it. Naturally, I was pretty excited when I saw it in the market knowing how much he loved it. So I searched for a recipe that would work and was pretty much unsuccessful until I found this one! This one is *perfect*! I changed nothing at all. The only thing I would do different now is double the ingredients so that I will have a loaf sized slice. I have a large loaf pan that I turned the mixture out into, so don't try this tip unless you have one of those larger Pyrex style loaf pans. My husband loved it and I can now make his favorite again. Looking at some of the other reviews that have the meat incorporated in them have piqued my interest as well! Thanks so much for posting this....we loved it!!! :)

I have made cornmeal mush for years. I add a little ground sausage to the boiling water before I add the cornmeal. I, also, dredge each slice of mush in flour first & then fry it--forms a crust. It does not work well to freeze the mush as it retains the water from freezing & it crumbles (from past experience). Good with any kind of syrup.

This did not work for me. I made it yesterday morning, refrigerated it for the rest of the day and overnight and tried to slice it up to fry after church and it was too soft to slice. I went to look at other fried mush recipes on other sites and saw that most of them tell you to cover and simmer for an additional twenty minutes or so. All I know is, this recipe, the way it was posted is not firm enough to slice. The recipe on the package of cornmeal actually worked much better than this one. It called for three cups of boiling water, one cup of cold water. Also it said to cover and simmer for fifteen minutes after the cornmeal started to boil and thicken. Without the extra cooking time, the cornmeal will never set up. I know this, because I ruined three batches before I tried the recipe on the package.

My girls love fried mush from Bob Evans and now we can make something similar at home for so much less. Great recipe, but definately boil part of the water and stir the cornmeal into the remaining water (cold) and slowly add to boiling water. Stir, stir, stir for no lumps.

I used to eat this a child and I am going on 30 now. We allways ate it with honey on it rather then Syrup it gave it a very good flavor.. Another nice thing to do with it is sprinkle powdered sugar on it. These two ways allways seem to go over well with the kids.. It fries up easier if you coat it in a little flower and I would recomend using a splater screen because it will pop a little..

This was a great meal...and so easy. I just cooked up the cornmeal the night before (takes less than 10 minutes) and then sliced and baked it the next day. We put butter, salt and pepper on it while it was still piping hot and enjoyed with veggies. I think these would be great topped with some spicy bean chili, too. Thanks for a quick, new meal idea, Michele!

This brings back such delightful childhood memories! I've got a loaf of mush chilling in the refrigerator as I type. I've always fried it in bacon drippings and served with a chunk of butter and alot of salt and pepper. (Along with aforementioned bacon and fried eggs) That's going to be dinner tonite!

Wow! I used to enjoy fried cornmeal mush as a child. This was even tastier, and how simple! I scaled the recipe down to two servings, and poured the mush into two mini-loaf pans instead of one full size loaf pan. This morning I fried up one portion, and sliced the other portion and put it in the freezer, between sheets of waxed paper. Now I have another meal, ready to fry up. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

This is FABULOUS! Here are two adjustments...one minor and one MAJOR! The minor is mixing one cold cup of water to the cornmeal and then adding it to the two cups of boiling water, it will be perfectly smooth! The other, and this is MAJOR...FRY IT IN BACON GREASE!!! C'mon people, you eat this like what...3-4 times a year? MAKE IT COUNT! Ohhhhhh so yummy when you fry it in bacon grease...everything is better with BACON LOL!

I have never eaten cornmeal mush, as is, or cooked like this. I knew I would like it because I like all things with cornmeal including grits. I may even try the porridge version after trying this. Only thing is, I wish I knew how this was traditionally served. I used a little maple syrup as depicted in the main picture, but think it would be good with a fried egg like I like grits. The recipe didn't indicate how many minutes it would take to thicken. It took exactly 5 minutes of stirring. It gets thick right away and has to be stirred vigorously with a whisk to smooth it out some. If it matters I used Indian Head stone ground yellow cornmeal and it worked well. I sprayed a bread pan lightly with PAM and refridgerated it overnight covered with plastic wrap. Per a similar recipe, I found that the slices could be rolled in cornmeal before sauteing. I liked those ones better as the outsides were slightly crispier. This is kind of like making polenta, but I liked the flavor and texture much better. It was softer. I was also happy when I realized a serving was 3 slices at about 150 calories total. They are affordable to make to top. ty

Be sure to cook the cornmeal until quite a bit of the moisture has steamed off, When it is cool I slice it about 3/8 inch thich, place it flat side down on a cookie sheet sprayed with Pam, then spray the mush and broil in the oven for approximately 10 minutes, flip it over and broil the other side until it is crispy. My DH likes it with syrup but I prefer butter, salt and pepper. Ultimate comfort food.

I make this like my Grandma used to...With ham broth in place of some or all of the water. :) She would use bits of ham in it, too. We fry it, and they eat it with syrup, but I know my cousins eat it with apple butter. :) Fried mush always makes me miss Grandma.

This is an old time treat but, if you would dust the slices lightly with flour, you will cut down the oil splatter.

I've been making fried cornmeal mush for years, but recently started buying my cornmeal in bulk and couldn't find the recipe for making the mush! I was so happy to find the exact same recipe from the box listed here at AllRecipes. I agree with another reviewer who said if you think this needs extra spices or flavorings, you didn't grow up eating this treat. It's all in the toppings you add to it! Some people like it topped with butter and maple syrup. I like it with mustard, and my father likes to put spaghetti sauce on his. The "bland" flavor of the mush lends itself well to any number of topping combinations.

I should have read the reviews before frying it - mine needed to be floured then fried. And I think, because I like it crispy, I sliced it too thin. Will go try another slice, floured! [also, I'd like it better with white cornmeal.]

Awesome! The slices fried til golden on both sides served with breakfast sausage and syrup. Yummy. I grew up calling this Hon Mas. I read some reviews, if you made it right its like a very thick gritty jello consistencey, I cut mine just about a half inch thick. Turns out perfect and I never flour to fry.

This is a childhood favorite of mine and now my children. My mother always made this by using ham broth (made by boiling a ham or ham hock) instead of water. Salt was added after cooking if necessary due to the use of the ham broth.

people that think this needs spices or seasoning did not grow up with this awsome breakfast treat. If you forget to make it the night before, just mix it up in the morning and drop spoonfuls into a frying pan and you'll have fried cornmeall mush in no time!!

I'm 55 and its just like grandma's

Go Tebow. Great recipe. When I was a kid, I loved the Stokes brand that came in a can. I think it was a local Colorado brand but had disappeared like so many other things. I mold it in a can which can be opened on both ends. Just wash out a can and save the lid (works really well if you have a side cutter) pour the mush in to the top and replace the lid. When it is set, cut the other end off and push the mush out a little at a time to the thickness you like and cut at the edge of the can. The result is perfect little round slices all the exact same thickness. I dust both sides with flour and fry in real butter. It is do die for fried in an iron skillet over a campfire on a cold morning with bacon and syrup. I think I will try it in Chocolate, which you may guess from my user name is the way I roll.

Thanks for this great recipe. My husband grew up on fried cornmeal mush. I didn't so had no idea how to make it. We can buy a loaf of it in the store but it's so much cheaper to make it at home, plus I know exactly what's in it. My kids love it too!

Like many others, Fried Cornmeal Mush is a trip down memory lane. My children looked at me suspiciously when I called it Fried Mush, so I quickly changed it to Fried Polenta, which has a nice ring to it. I cooked the mush on the stove top about 20 minutes, and instead of setting overnight in a loaf pan, I spread it into a greased 9x9 casserole dish, and let cool in a window sill about a half hour. I cut it into 8 rectangles, and fried it in a little oil about 3 minutes on each side. My mom used to make it with regular cornmeal, but I think the coarse grind is better.

Just as I remember....Awesome! I added the picture with the green bowl!

Delish! I served the mush with maple syrup on top just like my mom did when I was little.

This was great. I just ate mine as mush tho.

So simple and so delicious. I fried some up and put some Frank's hot sauce on it hoo boy that's some good stuff. Thanks for this recipe.

Was looking for this recipe. My husband's father used to make it when he was growing up. He said this was exactly as he remembers it.

I really liked this, it was fast and easy. However, next time I will use much less salt!

This is an awesome gluten free treat. My mother adds crumbled up cooked pork sausage while it is still warm, then pours into bread pan to set up overnight. Before frying we dredge in gluten free pancake flour to prevent splattering. Cook until golden brown and serve with maple syrup.

This is a recipe from the good ole' days. For a real treat, try using roasted cornmeal. You can find it online and it makes a world of difference for recipes like this and cornbread, or when using cornmeal for a coating.

I wouldn't eat mush when I was little because I didn't like the name. When I saw this recipe I decided to give it a try, just to finally see what it's like. I thought it was okay, but probably wouldn't make it again. I have two suggestions: first, add the cornmeal slowly to the water. I had a few lumps that I couldn't get out, although they weren't noticeable as I ate it. Second, don't try to turn the mush until a crust has formed on the outside. That keeps it from breaking apart.

We used to serve this regularly at the nursing home for breakfast. I'd forgotten all about fried cornmeal mush. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

My mom used to make mush for breakfast when I was little, and we would eat it with syrup, so this brought back memories! I'm so glad I found this recipe, so that I can make it for my children! Thank you!

I was looking for a "Scrapple" recipe. My mom made this when I was a child, she was from the south and she would boil up a ham hock or leftover ham and use the liquid and meat chunks. She never used a recipe she had it in her head, she is gone now and I get to try to reproduce it. I have never had it with syrup, but I'll give it a try.

This is the same recipe that is on the box and the same my grandmother made 73 years ago. Diced green chiles and sauage fried crip with a couple of eggs good south texas breakfast

This really is a great recipe. In South Africa we call this fried mealie meal. For a savoury twist I often add a TBlsp chopped corriander leaves or half a cup of fried bacon bits and/or chopped fried mushrooms. Sweet or savoury, this remains a firm favourite in our household!!

I loved this, much better than grits! I sweetened with honey and brown sugar. I served it as a porridge, and followed the tip to stir the cornmeal into 1 cup cold water before adding it to the 2 cups of boiling water. Success! I then rolled the cooled mix into 'mush balls' and served it to my kids that way also.

Loved this growing up...still do and you can buy it at Bob Evans restaurants. My Mom used to fry up some sausage real brown, crumble it up and add to the mixture. Nice change and we loved it.

This is so delicious. I grew up with polenta (which is called cornmeal mush here). I loved the leftovers the next day fried in a pan just like this recipe.

Perfect. My dad used to make this all the time when I was little, didn't realize how easy it was until I came across this recipe.

Just like when I was a kid. Great!

This is a great Mush recipe! It's the closest thing I've found to the one my grandma made for us kids when we were little. Thanks for sharing it with us!

Good but I feel it needs sugar and or vanilla mixed in to make it tastier.

I can't believe how easy this is, and I can't believe I've been using the pre-packaged kind all these years. This is delicious, has a better texture, and browns very nicely (the packaged kind takes forever to brown). Thank you!

My family doesn't do measurements but will give you the ingredients and advise to add till it looks about right...hmmm...so thanks for the correct measurements for an ideal consistency. In our family instead of dredging in flour we would use grits which I love because it gives them an extra crunchy texture. Salt and/or pepper to taste--the best!

My Mom used to make this and slice it thin and then fry until crispy in bacon grease. Then she would top it with an egg and squirt a generous amount of ketchup on it. I thought "Yuck!" Then I tried a bite and have eaten it ever since.

Just like I remember it as a kid! I made this, but then didn't eat it for two days because of a scheduling conflict and it was still good. I also sliced it a lot thinner than 1 inch, more like 1/4 inch because we always had it crispy, and I don't like the thought of it mushy. I poured raspberry syrup over it because it was all I had and it was so good!

My Dad made this when I was young with meat from the pigs head. Loved it. I like it crispy. This is the same recipe, but I doubled it for a loaf pan. Since I didn't have any meat like Dad I put fried and cumbled sausage in it. It was really tasty. Thanks so much for the recipe.

Delicious! Cooked the cornmeal for about 15 minutes before putting it into the loaf pan. Served with bourbon maple syrup. YUM!

My husband requested this because his grandmother used to make it. He said it was very close, but too watery after just 1 night. It was actually the perfect consistency after 2 nights, but the downside is you have to wait that long! We put a blended mixture of butter, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt to spread on top - really delicious!

Heaven! Pure southern heaven!

Mmmmm! This is great! Reminds me of when I was a kid. We always serve ours with syrup, like pancakes. Thanks, Michelle!

I substituted (almond)milk for the water and added a drizzle of honey and brown sugar before added the cornmeal. Tasted fabulous! Very filling! I will try the frying it with a little flour and butter next time..sounds good too.

OMG -I am so glad I found this! Brought back memories of Sunday morning breakfast with my folks. Very easy to do and so delish if you slice it medium -1/2" thick. Fry it so its crispy on outside, creamy on inside. Thanks for taking me back home!

I have been eating this and fried mush made from grits all my life and was very suprised to see a recipe for it. I am a senior citizen so you can see how many years it has been around.

Loved It! Tastes just like what my mom used to make. We put butter and syrup on it. I like the outer crispy.

I thought this was great but no one else in my family was very enthusiastic about it.

Very good recipe, if you like things a little spicy, add a 1/2 tablespoon of dried crushed Red Peppers to the water before adding the cornmeal.

To me this needed a little bit more flavoring. I haven't eaten this before but after I made it I found I liked the texture of it but it just needs more flavor. I will definately try this again adding spices to the mush.

EXCELLENT!! tried this one with regular cornmeal as well as with a finer stoneground meal---both were very tasty--top with maple syrup, or fruit, or honey

I followed recipe. Worked fine. No need to use loaf pan. I poured out on a big cutting board. I was able to slice in around an hour. Thank you

just exactly like my grandma made it. (plus, not one of my kids complained about it.)

I like this recipe. The texture, consistency and flavor was very good. However, next time I will add less salt. Even though I used unsalted butter and served it with syrup it was WAY to salty. I think by reducing the salt it will be perfect. I think it's a GREAT recipe otherwise. ??

Perfect! Just like my Mommom used to make. I doubled the recipe to fill the loaf pan. Delicious! Thanks for sharing!

I guess because I'm not a regular cornmeal eater this recipe had little appeal to my family and I. It was hard to brown in the pan and very dense...

This was delicious but did not set up very well. Not sure if I didn't cook it long enough or if it needs less water?

I grew up with this...love it! It's also good with cheese added and sometimes I make it with broth instead of water.

Great recipe!! Lasts quite a while in fridge too!

I mix together the cornmeal, salt and 1 cup of cold water and add it slowly to 2 cups boiling water, stirring constantly till thickened.

I made this because my Granny had always spoken highly of mush. I was not impressed, but the kids loved it with syrup. I might make again for them at lunch.

I've never had fried mush before so I don't have a clue how it is supposed to cook or taste, but my turned out like the picture so I think I did alright! I'm very happy with it, it's on my regular list now! I had it with veggie sausages and gravy for dinner and am looking forward to having it with breakfast tomorrow. So Mush novice says 5 stars!

Crunchy on the outside, slightly creamy and chewy on the inside. More down-home than polenta.

Sorry, this just did NOT work out for me...I thought I would LOVE this but I found it truly disappointing...I followed the recipe exactly (how could you not? It's so simple), but it was a huge tasteless letdown =o(.

Just like old times. I slice it thinner, serve it with syrup. Also, I double it and boil 2 cups of water,mix cornmeal with one cup then add to boiling water. Much less opportunity for lumps. It's great!

My grandmother made this for me as a child. I'm in my sixties. She was born in 1899. She boiled the cornmeal in pork broth and salt and pepper. The pork broth gives it an extra something (of course frying it in butter doesn't hurt). Once you do it that way, Bob Evans just doesn't cut it.

This was only ok - maybe a bit more interesting with some spices mixed into it?

So good! I doubled the recipe and cooled the mixture in a loaf pan to get nice thin slices. I dredged each slice in a little flour and fried in butter (my Amish Great Great Grandmother made it this way), and topped with maple syrup.

Cornmeal mush porridge has always been a special treat for me. Fried mush even more so. Some bacon and eggs on the side, a little sorghum molasses or honey and it's a great breakfast!

I love fried mush. Instead of using a loaf pan, I used a plastic container that comes with velveeta cheese. Let it thicken upside down and voila, the perfect slice size for me.

I’ve been making fried cornmeal mush for several decades and, like my father, always add dried chili pepper flakes to the recipe. That little bit of spiciness with maple syrup is the perfect blend!

This is great! My mom fixed this for us when I was a kid. Thanks!

Great Breakfast meal anytime of the day. Great go to meal

I have made cornmeal mush for years. Instead of 3 cups of water, I use 2 cups water and 1 cup whole milk, for a creamier richer mush. It cooks up very quick, 10 minutes start to finish, then into the loaf pan and into the fridge overnight. Ready to slice and fry up in the morning. You want it very thick, so it sets up firm in the refrigerator so it doesn’t fall apart.

I used Bob's Red Mill gluten free cornbread mix...served as cereal topped off w/earth balance butter and a pinch of brown sugar! yumm.

Love to have this for breakfast with syrup and sausage. Oh and if you like add cheese.

I remember eating this as a child and loved it. Good with salt and pepper or with maple syrup. Be sure to add the corn meal slowly or you'll get lumps.

This brings back such good memories of spending the weekends with my grandmother. She used to fry it up on a Saturday morning and pour maple syrup over it. Thanks.

Super easy and quick to make. I gave some to the CEO of my company and he loved it.

Just like mom and grandmas...I use cooking spray in place of butter. Just lower fat this way...butter does taste better.

This is my go-to recipe for cornmeal mush. The proportions are perfect! I don't always fry it up though. Most of the time we just serve it in a bowl like oatmeal. It's great with milk, butter, and brown sugar or maple syrup! Much more flavorful than oatmeal!

I made a double batch of the recipe and I'm glad I did. The end result was about an inch down from the top of the 9x5 loaf pan. I also used less salt, 1 1/2 tsp instead of 2 tsp. It was still salty enough. Tomorrow I'll fry it for breakfast and have it with syrup and sausage or bacon.

Cornmeal lumps up upon hitting boiling water and would not whisk out. I ended up having to use a hand-held mixer.

Like a previous reviewer said, it splashes a lot. My husband thinks it's kind of bland, so next time I may add some flavors to it. Over all, the skin gives it a very nice flavor.

Very yummy - I had it for breakfast with syrup. A little difficult to fry because it was mushy, so I got a couple burned pieces, but otherwise very easy.

Love to have this for breakfast with syrup and sausage. Oh and if you like add cheese.

Yummy