Fried Cornmeal Mush Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (2024)

May 3, 2022March 10, 2023

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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.

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

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.
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