Help! Cornmeal!

[brigala]

I don't think Bob's Red Mill lists their corn meal as gluten-free. However they seem to have enough gluten-free corn around to make their Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal. I've been meaning to ask them about that...

Bob's Red Mill has two separate facilities, one for gluten foods and one for gluten-free foods.

I believe BRM's cornmeal is made in their regular facility. I suppose they probably mill corn in their gluten-free facility for use in their gluten-free products, such as their gluten-free cornbread mix (which makes great cornbread muffins, although it seems to be too dense to cook right for a regular pan of cornbread).

BRM does test all the products marked gluten-free.

Some people have problems with BRM but I think this boils down to a couple of things:

1) They mill gluten-free oats in their gluten-free facility. Some people have trouble with oats even if they are gluten-free. People who are sensitive to oats may react to oat cross-contamination

2) They make a lot of products with things like fava beans or other ingredients which most people don't eat a lot of. I think a lot of people may have trouble with these other ingredients. My mom had an allergic reaction to the BRM bread (not a gluten reaction, though -- more classic food allergy). She doesn't know which ingredient she reacted to, but fava's the main suspect because it's the ingredient she doesn't eat other places.

So far, I've had great luck with all BRM gluten-free products... but then, I am not oat-sensitive.

[Mrs. N]

I'm wondering what the difference is between masa and cornmeal. I've been using masa from the "International" aisle for cornbread and haven't had problems with that. Well, no problems except that my cornbread is usually a little dense, but then I have to cook and bake egg free as well. Not sure if it's the masa or the lack of eggs.

[brigala]

I'm wondering what the difference is between masa and cornmeal.

Masa is ground very fine, and is treated with lime. Cornmeal is a little more coarse and is not treated with lime.

I use Masa extensively because it's cheap. It works great to dip just about anything in egg, then masa, and then pan-fry. It can be used to thicken chili and can be an ingredient in cornbread. Funny, I haven't yet used it for its primary intended purpose -- to make tamales!

Here's an interesting discussion about different kinds of corn-based meals and flours:

Open Original Shared Link

-Elizabeth

[holiday16]

I have Aunt Jemima right now and we've had no reaction, but it's not my preferred brand. Glad to see this thread on here. It sounds like Hodgson Mill is o.k. and that's what we used before w/ no problems, but the store stopped carrying it and all I could find was Aunt Jemima. Not a big fan of Quaker either. Guess I'll have to hunt down a store that sells Hodgson Mill. I swear we shop at so many different stores just because of things like this...

Paulette

[JennyC]

We buy Kinnikinnick cornmeal. It is a little pricey, but we don't use very much.