A Chef Explains Why 5 Minutes Can Make Or Break The Process Of Transforming Cornmeal Into Creamy Polenta

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There are few things more satisfying than smooth, creamy polenta — that is, if you can prepare it correctly. According to Sarah Grueneberg, Chef and Owner of Chicago's Monteverde restaurant, the key to nailing the texture of this quintessentially Northern Italian dish is in the first 5 minutes of preparation. In that short amount of time, constant stirring is what rehydrates the cornmeal and suspends it in the liquid — making it much less likely to clump or scold. "If you spend these 5 mins whisking and stirring, it'll simmer and not stick," the expert chef and author of the cookbook, "Listen to Your Vegetables," told Tasting Table. "Otherwise, it will only sink and burn," she added. 

A simple homemade polenta recipe involves adding dried cornmeal to a pot of boiling liquid, before simmering down the starchy mixture to creamy perfection. Some variations also involve sautéing shallots and garlic in butter before simmering, and upgrading it with ingredients like butter, milk, spices, or Parmesan cheese. Either way, the process of stirring constantly — especially at the beginning — is essential to facilitate the hydration and gelatinization of the starch. If you don't stir constantly in the first 5 minutes like Grueneberg said, the granules of cornmeal could very well stick, sink, or burn — making for an unpleasantly grainy or lumpy texture and scorched corn taste.

When making creamy polenta from scratch, some people put cornmeal in a food processor to make finer starchy granules that cook quicker. To each their own, but while you certainly don't want lumps of improperly gelatinized starch, the coarse texture of cornmeal amidst the creamy porridge isn't a bad thing. In fact, Sarah Grueneberg prefers it. "I do not recommend pulsing cornmeal in the blender," Grueneberg explains. "I personally like more varied textures and if it's too fine, it can be gummy."

Whether your making polenta topped with eggplant ragout or serving it simply on its own, the dish is all about finding that creamy balance with the right amount of liquid. About 4 to 4 ½ cups of liquid for every 1 cup cornmeal should strike the perfect ratio and ideal creaminess, along with the added butter, starch and, of course, the right amount of whisking. Overall, the more whisking or stirring you do, the better. Just make sure you stir constantly, especially during those first five minutes — and be sure to get the sides and bottom of the pot too. 

To make polenta with less constant stirring, there are some alternative methods. For instance, you can try making it in a rice cooker, or start the dish off by boiling it in a heat-proof pot on the stovetop and finishing it off in the oven.