I'm skeptical of this polenta's cooking instructions?

[BAPyessir6]

I've made polenta a few times before, and for me it usually takes 30 minutes. (If I soak the grains in water overnight, it cuts down on the cooking as I hate standing over a stove for so long). Not traditional I know.

Anyway, found Bob's red Mill polenta (NOT quick cook, at least from what I can tell) from Cub the other day, and I'm excited!

And on the back of the bag, there's two cooking techniques. One says it's ready in 5 MINUTES 3:1 water to polenta ratio (which I think is very short, too short in my opinion?) And the other is the traditional 4:1 (water/milk to polenta) 30 minutes cook.

Is 5 minutes enough time for polenta/Is this bag wrong in its information? (All the other times I've cooked polenta and seen recipes, they all take 30 minutes at least). Maybe I don't know polenta.

Also, if regular polenta is 5 minutes cook time, why in the world would anyone take 30 minutes to make it?

Anyway, here's the bag. 5 minutes versus 30 minutes seems like a huge difference! (It looks like coarse enough ground corn to me. Maybe medium grain?).

I notice it says Quick polenta on the back, but it doesn't say quick polenta on the front. Is it giving recipes for both available versions of polenta available from this brand?

 

[dragnlaw]

Sounds strange but it does say Quick Cooking. So try it the quick method and if it is too raw for you throw it back on the stove again!
Have you researched Quick Cook vs Regular Cook?

BTW, to me anything that is quick cooking grain usually means it is a finer grind, soo.... is it finer? - than your regular corn meal?

 

[BAPyessir6]

It looks more coarse than cornmeal to me. I'll post a picture as I have cornmeal too!

Cornmeal on the left, polenta on the right.

 

[caseydog]

It sounds like grits vs instant grits. Similar to rice vs Minute Rice.

CD

 

[Meryl]

I'm not an expert on polenta, I'm from the South, but I know that when we buy Quick polenta it refers to "precooked" and takes only a few minutes to cook.
If you use cornflour - not precooked - it will take about 50 minutes.
There's a bit of ambiguity on that packet. The first recipe seems correct.

 

[dragnlaw]

Yes, you are right - there is a big difference. But I also think Merle has the right of it and I was wrong, by being precooked it would possibly be coarser. I also agree the recipes do seem to be contradictory.
LOL only way you're going to find out is to, as said, try it.

Think there was a thread about Polenta once before. I mentioned that I used to cook Polenta, never had problem, never really read the instructions.
I would boil the liquid add the grain, back to boil, turn down heat, stir once in a while - and serve - all within 15 minutes or so.
One day a bunch of gal pals came to play cards and one was Italian, whether or not I was cooking some then or we were just talking about it and she exclaimed I had to stand and stir for 40 minutes, it could not be done any other way.
I've not been able to cook a proper polenta since. Sometimes, just sometimes, ignorance works best.

 

[jennyema]

I use this exact product often. I use the “creamy” recipe. Comes out great every time.

Bob’s Red Mill is good stuff.

I, too, thought the quick instructions were odd.

 

[medtran49]

It looks more coarse than cornmeal to me. I'll post a picture as I have cornmeal too!

Cornmeal on the left, polenta on the right.

Cornmeal comes in at least 2 grinds, fine and coarse. The grind doesn't designate cornmeal vs polenta, though polenta is usually more coarse. It's actually the type of corn used that differentiates if you want to get technical, though most use interchangeably.

I don't understand the quick vs regular using the same product either. Grits come as instant, quick, and long cooking, and are quite different in grind and finished product. Instant grits are pretty much like cream of wheat in texture. Quick are a bit coarse feeling in the mouth. Long cooking can be a little coarse to smooth and creamy depending on how long you cook.

 

[pictonguy]

The 5 minute polenta is precooked, then dried.

 

[dcSaute]

once given to understand from a company rep - the 'quick' cooking - by any name - has in fact been 'pre-cooked' - breaking the starches down so that they 'thicken up' quicker....

rice, grits, polenta, oatmeal . . .

 

[pictonguy]

once given to understand from a company rep - the 'quick' cooking - by any name - has in fact been 'pre-cooked' - breaking the starches down so that they 'thicken up' quicker....

rice, grits, polenta, oatmeal . . .

Yep, that's the idea, to make meals easy and quick. I made 5 minute polenta last night for dinner. Took much longer actually considering I sauteed some shallot, garlic and herbs before adding the liquid to make the polenta, and with bringing 2 liters of water to the boil it took around 15 minutes or so.

 

[dragnlaw]

@BAPyessir6 did you try it out? What conclusion did you come to?

If you are still hesitant about which method - send an e-mail to Red Mill. I'm sure they will be more than happy to help a customer.
Especially one that is not complaining! but just asking for advice.

 

[BAPyessir6]

I did try it out!

The 5 minutes, while being thicker due to lower water/liquid, was still surprisingly viable. Yes it was slightly more toothsome because some of the smaller grains were still a bit chewy, but not unpalatablely so (I actually kind of liked the texture, but again, it was negligible) I also found I had to add a bit more water, as it was difficult to cook the 3 to 1 water to polenta ratio without it becoming very sticky very quickly.

The 30 minute one was more creamy, and almost. . .more starchy? probably because the higher water content ratio and also the starches having more time to expand.

Either way, unless there is a side by side comparison, it's actually really hard to tell which is which. I don't really get WHY there isn't a bigger difference, but okay!

If you're in a pinch, I found the 5 minutes to be fine and totally acceptable, but I'd probably do the 30 just so that it's creamier. Maybe if you upped the water to 4 to 1 on the 5 minutes, it'd be creamier as well.