Where I live, the corn meal version is called "Mush". My mother used to make it, then poured it in a loaf pan to cool in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning it would solidify. Then she would slice off pieces and fry them in bacon grease. That was some good eatin!
The cornmeal gruel reminded me of cream of wheat. Between cream of wheat and oatmeal (gruel), it takes me right into snowy mornings when my mother would make a hot breakfast before we'd get to go outside and play in the snow, then come inside and get warm by the fire in the den. I can practically taste, hear, and smell these memories.
My mother was a depression child. She said that there were times when the only thing they had to eat was cornmeal mush. She grew to hate it and she never fed it to us kids. Now oatmeal I love.
My grandmother could cook & bake on a wood stove. No idea how she did it, but if that is what you learn on, it becomes second nature. We would visit & the electric range would be being used as storage, food was on the wood stove.
The traditional gruel is literally exactly how I make oatmeal; so good; but I will definitely call it gruel from now on. The cornmeal gruel reminds me of thick grits; I am definitely going to give it a try! Thanks for the background information on these dishes!
Cornmeal is a finer grind than grits. I've added cornmeal to my grits when I came up short while making breakfast for a house full of kids. The texture is a bit creamier but flavor is the same.
I was saying to myself "this is poor people food?!" Oatmeal with a bit of butter, dried fruit, brown sugar & some cinnamon is a staple for my family! We don't come from much, so I bet my ancestors used to eat it all the time!
My husband and I were just talking about Gruel and what was in it. I can't believe you did a video about it! I will have to watch it again with my husband. BTW, love the channel! Congrats on 1 million subs! You guys are great!
Too funny. I, too, recently bought corn meal to make my own tortillas and was just thinking about it today that I wonder what else I could do with that corn meal (as I'm not a super huge fan of corn bread) AND HERE WAS HER VIDEO. 😅 That gal above talking about frying it in bacon grease sounded good.
My grandparents were Romanian. We make a savory version of the corn meal gruel. However, we don't call it that. It is called mumalegia. Instead of adding sugar we put a small amount it in a bowl and then add soup or stew on top. My grandfather used to put it in a cup and add milk, and eat it for breakfast.
It seems every culture has this kind of food, to make a little bit of grain go further! In Chinese culture we have congee which is rice cooked very soft in lots of water or chicken broth. We put all kinds of savory toppings on it. My mom used to make it for us on snowy mornings just like some other folks here said their mother made oatmeal porridge.
My Scottish heritage as a Canadian means that I eat oatmeal 'gruel' every morning for breakfast. We call it porridge and it sticks to the ribs as my grandmother used to say. A little maple syrup and blueberries won't go amiss. There is a song in Scottish Gaelic about eating 'brochan' or oatmeal.
Yes I'm celtic too (Wales) and we eat porridge.. I like it was sugar ontop so it melts and forms a layer of sugar, like a creme brulee, except not stiff
You can also make it with wheat flour. You make a thick paste with the flour and water and cook it til it turns stretchy and brown. Then slowly add water, stirring constantly, until it reaches desired thickness. Season like grits or cream of wheat.
Did anyone else noticed that remedy to treat a rattlesnake bite when she’s holding the book open at about 12 seconds in? It’s crazy how they used to do that!
That corn meal mush can also be savory. Cook in broth or water. Add any leftover meat or bacon. Add onions or garlic if you gave them. Grate cheese on top if you have it. Either gruel needs to have a spoon of butter added. Very fast, easy and versatile food.
Traditional gruel is just what we'd call oatmeal now a days. Nothing fancy or overly complicated. Good for someone who has a sensitive stomach. American gruel seems a little closer to what we'd call grits and I'm sure it tastes sweeter thanks to the corn. Neat ♥
Corn gruel was the hasty pudding in the Yankee Doodle song. Oat gruel, corn gruel, grits, polenta, wheat gruel, sweet,savory, hot with Kitchen pepper I love ‘em all
My dad made the cornmeal porridge when I was a little girl and I was born in 1962, so I remember this when I was 6 or 7 years old. This is one of my fondest memories with my dad.
My mom made it, too. We had to keep stirring it, so it wouldn’t be lumpy. Then we ate it with sugar and milk. We never thought to add raisins (great idea!), but we added raisins to oatmeal. Mmmmmm!
In the WV mountains we cook corn meal with a little salt then pour it in a pan and cool overnight. It is sliced and fried in bacon grease and eaten with breakfast. We call it mush. Many of the older folk pronounced it "mursh." Really good eatin.😊
I like mine savoury as well, seasoned with salt, pepper and butter. For baked fish I make a tomato, bell pepper, onion and garlic sauce and pour that over the cornmeal, then sprinkle it with Parmesan cheese. Simply delicious!
My family made cornmeal mush (aka polenta) and had the fried slices with maple syrup, bacon, and scrambled eggs for breakfast on holidays. I occasionally eat the somewhat thicker grits these days, but always savory (cheese, green chile salsa, soft fried egg) rather than sweet. Both are good! For origin, my fam is Indiana/Missouri and I learned grits in Texas.
The first one is exactly how we make oatmeal on school/work mornings-just no salt or sugar. Our family has always made oatmeal that way. When the cornmeal version got smooth, it looked like yellow cream of wheat. Brought back memories!
I had cream of wheat often when I was a kid. My Mom always put chocolate chips in it so you'd be eating it and ehh it's ok and then you'd bite into a bubble of chocolatey goodness and it was so great. Sometimes though she wouldn't cook it right and it would be really lumpy. Best to serve this stuff to kids because imagine the carbs. An adult would probably develop instant diabetes eating that stuff!
@@jaleach123You don’t develop diabetes from eating carbohydrates. Not all carbs are the same and they’re not all unhealthy. There are complex carbohydrates and simple carbohydrates. You need to take a nutrition class.
We have Gries in Germany! It’s usually made of milled wheat flour with the consistency of corn meal, it’s boiled with milk till it’s either soft of a bit gooey. It goes rather solid once cool. Very good with apple sauce
Where i live we call the cornmeal one cornmeal mush and i ate it many many times growing up without the raisins. We ate it with sugar and butter like a hot breakfast cereal.
Ron looked as excited about the gruel as if someone said they were going to pull off all his toenails 😂 fr tho i actually like oatmeal! Didn’t realize gruel was actually just oatmeal..I usually make mine with milk and whatever fruit I have thrown in. It’s filling and cheap! I see why it was a staple.
Hi, Justine and Ron! My husband tried cooking the cornmeal gruel for our breakfast today, and we just finished enjoying it. It turned out delicious: smooth, thick, and very bright yellow! The raisins plumped up nicely. We’ll definitely be making this part of our breakfast repertoire. We already make oatmeal on the stovetop, similar to how you made it in the video, and it is a favorite choice here, especially on cold winter days. Thank you for another interesting lesson from history and the hearthside! Lynn and Chris in Hallsville, MO
Gruel, pottage, mush, porridge, it's such a versatile dish! My family is Italian, so I grew up eating polenta, which is made very similarly to the corn meal/Indian meal gruel that you made in this video, except for the raisins! You eat it, hot and freshly made, with cheese and meat sauce, or you let it cool and solidify, and fry slices of it to eat with fried eggs and tomato sauce the next morning. I've never been someone who eats breakfast regularly, but now that I have to take medication every morning (with food), I have started eating oatmeal, but savory rather than sweet. I bring some chicken broth to a boil (I like to add a pinch of red pepper flakes and some mushroom powder to the broth), then add the uncooked oatmeal, and stir and cook until soft. Then I stir in some medium-spicy salsa, grated cheese, and chopped fresh cilantro. I always top it with a poached or soft-boiled egg for protein, and it has become my favorite weekday breakfast because I make it ahead of time (including the eggs), pre-portion it into containers, and put it in the fridge. It only needs a minute in the microwave to reheat it the next morning at work. Very fancy, compared to the original simple version, but still very good.
For the sick and injured in the Lower South, the liquid would be drained from the gruel and used as a drink. Sometimes arrowroot was mixed with it to thicken it to the consistency of milk.
It’s amazing how recipes are across cultures! In a lot of Caribbean cultures a cornmeal porridge is made similar to this. A recipe I recently tried was with coconut milk, cornmeal, cinnamon and nutmeg…it was delicious and definitely warming to the soul!!!
Loved this video. ❤ My grandmother and great grandmother (from southwestern Pennsylvania) considered rolled oats modern and a “fast food.” They both kept several types of oats and if you were sick you got some kind of version of oats: Scotch, steel cut, rolled, groats . . . depending on what kind of symptoms you had. Cornmeal was used for “mush” and fried mush, an everyday breakfast favorite with them both. During their last days both asked for nothing but fried cornmeal mush. Cream of wheat was the favorite of the grandchildren. I’m 70, so all that was a long, long time ago - back to the mid 1800s. Old old twin uncles who were Civil War prisoners were served a prison diet of a wheat flour paste, which they always referred to as “gruel.” Getting threatened with gruel for dinner was the designated punishment for naughty children. 😉
My Grandfather called the corn version "cornmeal mush" . In colonial times (earlier than this reenactment is set) it might be called "hasty pudding" because it could be prepared so quickly with just a quick boil. Fast, economical, and nearly infinitely flexable as you can add whatever fruits, spices, syrups, butter, jams, etc you have on hand. Also great savory with a bit of cheese and topped with a fried egg. Be the times fat or lean, food like this should always be in your pantry and skill set.
Italians like me make Polenta. It’s corn meal that goes back at least to the ancient Romans. During quarantine I got some because you only need a little to make a lot. It’s very tasty with salt or honey!
Which grains do you use for polenta? Yes, now it's corn (maize), but in Roman times it wasn't. Do you make it with any of the other commonly used grains of the time?
@argonwheatbelly637 Oh goodness, I’m actually a music historian rather than a food historian (except for watching this channel!). I’d love to try that though. I just use corn meal.
The NY & NJ Dutch ate a similar corn gruel which they called "Suppan." It was usually a communal meal, with milk often added. Peter Kalm describes it while in Albany, NY.
I am so hooked on this channel! It’s so refreshing to see something that is entertaining, educational and historical all in one video. And I love that both of you feel free just to be yourselves. Hurray for you!
And...if you want to take a detour...put the thickened corn stuff in a loaf pan. Cool til firm, usually overnight. In the morning, turn out of the pan, slice (moderate thickness), & fry til golden on both sides. When serving, it can be topped w/ butter & syrup, jam, whatever you have. Plain sugar, even. Fried cornmeal mush. I LOVE it w/ a bit of salt & syrup. Not sure how old this recipe is, but it's good. (It'll be much better if you don't consider the calories...😂)
Knowing how much Ron loves America…I’m guessing he’s going to pick the American version of gruel no matter how good or bad it is 😂🇺🇸 going over now to find out! 🇺🇸🧐 Thanks, Justine! ❤🇺🇸❤🇺🇸❤🇺🇸
The parts at 3:05 and 5:11 with Ron made me chuckle so much! I am a new subscriber and am enjoying these lovely & relaxing videos tremendously! I am even learning fun historical facts! Thank you!
My granny (born in 1897) had what she called “hot cereal” every morning. Cream of rice, cream of wheat, maltomeal (wheat and barley), oatmeal and “mush” (cornmeal). My mom never cooked a hot breakfast (or much at all) and my dad’s repertoire was limited to eggs, bacon, and fried potatoes. I still love hot cereal for breakfast, but never knew it was gruel. I belong to a Viking reenactment group, and make barley with apples, honey and cardamom for breakfast, so I guess gruel really does go back. Do you know if any civilization ever utilized rye gruel? I’m curious now…
I keep cornmeal mostly for treating fire ants, but now want to try it! I think I'll try it via the recipe Justine used, but then another commenter mentioned making a savory version, so I might dress it up like grits with cheese and a fried egg.
@@annarussell3751 Put on good boots then agitate the mound. Spread dry cornmeal all over the mound. Also sprinkle within about a foot circumference. Treat every mound you find at once. Most of them live deep underground and like to travel. You'll never get the whole mound, but either this OR boiling water (not both) is safe for kids and pets. Best of luck!
The one with the Oats is what my grandma used to make us, me and my sister, when we were little. She sometimes make it with water or with milk and much runnier then your version. She called it "Oat Soup". It is one of my loved childhod memorys and watching you cook it brings me back to that time.
Just wanted to thank you for your wonderful videos!! 😊 I love the details, the receipts, & the authenticity you put into everything! And with each video I watch, I learn something!! Plus, you 2 are oh so adorable!! Thank you thank you thank you❣️❣️
In Pennsylvania, we make this and call it cornmeal mush - minus the raisons. I make it with water, milk, cornmeal and a little butter. Then add salt, sugar, nutmeg and parmesan cheese. So good. My grandmother used to make mush with cornmeal, water and salt and put it in a square baking pan overnight in the refrigerator. The next day she'd cut it into squares and fry it in a pan with butter. It's interesting to see "mush" comes from.
My Irish parents grew up on the oatmeal kind of gruel. My father called it "stirabout". He said that when it was made with milk, it was porridge. No raisins as far as I know though.
In my country Corn meal is a staple food. We have it in the morning. We eat it with barberque... in my country we call it a braai. We make savory dishes and sweet dishes and we consume it with gravy. Or make onion and tamato source and eat it with that. We also eat oats, but not with raisins. 🌻
oatmeal with raisins, sugar, nutmeg and maybe cinnamon is a pretty good breakfast (and cheap) grits is a mostly southern breakfast dish (although regional variations in the US exist) made the same way as the corn 'gruel'. similar in process to italian 'polenta' but polenta is usually cooked longer and thicker. i've always thought of 'gruel' as a very soupy version of either. you could probably use different grains as well. throw in some bacon. thanks again for your videos! soothing.
Titanic 3rd Class supper night of sinking: Gruel, Cabin Biscuits, Cheese. My mother told me that back in the 20's to the 60's, fresh raviolis were packed in cornmeal. This cornmeal was saved and cooked into gruel, but they called it polenta.
I was just reading this receipt the other day!!! I love Mrs. Child's book, great advice, is applicable, even today. I am a big fan of porridge, I love oatmeal, farina, and cream of wheat, but most people make gruel and call it porridge. In culinary school, I was the only one to get an A on porridge day.
Cornmeal gruel is "sunshine cereal" at our house, and it is the favorite breakfast of our youngest, who turns five next week. I think my wife adds some butter, but very little sugar.
The corn gruel is also excellent made in a savory way, instead of raisins and sugar, use thin sliced shallots, a bit of cheese, and a bit of butter. Top with a soft boiled egg or crumbles of bacon if you're fancy
Thanks for sharing! I just made this for my kids and they were split 50/50 on liking/not liking it. I thought it was definitely a good recipe to have though! What an inexpensive but yummy dish.
I've been wondering if corn meal gruel was also called "mush". I know this is silly, but while watching this, I remembered a "Little Rascals" episode when the some orphans were brought to a restaurant by their benefactor/rescuer. The kids had been given nothing but mush to eat at the orphanage. The French waiter served them mush and said, "All zee children have mush!" They all (including the adult) promptly threw the mush at the waiter! Anyhow, I like oatmeal flavored with butter and real maple syrup, and though it isn't made with cornmeal but hominy, I really like grits. I add just butter and bacon (and sometimes a little cheddar) to the grits.
My Great Grandma lived thru the Spanish flu, and the Depression. She was so grateful for so little...she often had an egg , a piece of toast and a cup of coffee for breakfast, she humbly Thanked the Lord, before she sat down at the table to eat....and then she Praised the Lord, to hear her, you would have thought she won the lottery. The Lord blessed us with her for 99 years.
Another interesting choice. I noticed where the receipt called for nicely sifted oat- meal.... I bet that would be better and easier to get down. The consistency would be a log smoother!
I grew up eating oats with raisins & corn meal "mush" as we called it. My dad would fry any left over mush with bacon grease the next morning. It was sure good!The addition of raisins to the corn mush looks yummy 😋 As always enjoyed your video! Thank y'all for everything you do. ❤️ God bless y'all 🙌 & keep you safe!
How you made the first version is exactly the way I make oatmeal - minus the raisins. I'll occasionally add blueberries, if I have them. I've never tried the one with cornmeal. I've got cornmeal in the pantry. Maybe I'll try the second version.
That gives me flashbacks of Girl Guide camp. The oatmeal vats for breakfast were legendary... and feared. Maybe if they'd used the cornmeal instead? It was a different story when they had maple syrup to go with it though. There isn't much that can't be improved with that.
I noticed your small fire. I know your weather is very hot these days and I would bet back in the day they would cook outside in that kind of weather. That being said I do enjoy your videos.
Years ago, ok, back in the 80's, while in college on RI, I had 2 international roommates. One from Jamaica and the other from Haiti. They both called oatmeal "porridge". Barbara (Jamaican) would put raisins, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon 😋
Where I live, the corn meal version is called "Mush". My mother used to make it, then poured it in a loaf pan to cool in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning it would solidify. Then she would slice off pieces and fry them in bacon grease. That was some good eatin!
Sounds like fried Polenta. Yum! Bacon grease makes everything better.
Growing up, that’s how my mom served oatmeal. Never liked it that way, I now eat hot oatmeal in the winter…
My Grandma did the same. And we had syrup on the fried mush. I loved with and without syrup. ❤
Ate the same thing growing up. As a matter of fact, I made mush a few weeks back. Yummy.
Always saw mush in the old Our Gang series
Whenever I hear "gruel" I'm reminded of Oliver Twist asking the shocked cook, "Please, sir, I would like some more." It was considered rebellion.
The cornmeal gruel reminded me of cream of wheat. Between cream of wheat and oatmeal (gruel), it takes me right into snowy mornings when my mother would make a hot breakfast before we'd get to go outside and play in the snow, then come inside and get warm by the fire in the den. I can practically taste, hear, and smell these memories.
Sweet memories. Thank you for sharing. 😊 God bless you and yours.
My mother was a depression child. She said that there were times when the only thing they had to eat was cornmeal mush. She grew to hate it and she never fed it to us kids. Now oatmeal I love.
You're fire management skills are absolutely amazing. Watching you cook is just wonderful.
My grandmother could cook & bake on a wood stove. No idea how she did it, but if that is what you learn on, it becomes second nature. We would visit & the electric range would be being used as storage, food was on the wood stove.
The traditional gruel is literally exactly how I make oatmeal; so good; but I will definitely call it gruel from now on. The cornmeal gruel reminds me of thick grits; I am definitely going to give it a try! Thanks for the background information on these dishes!
Cornmeal is a finer grind than grits. I've added cornmeal to my grits when I came up short while making breakfast for a house full of kids. The texture is a bit creamier but flavor is the same.
I also make oatmeal gruel from time to time. Do you add milk to yours?
I was saying to myself "this is poor people food?!" Oatmeal with a bit of butter, dried fruit, brown sugar & some cinnamon is a staple for my family! We don't come from much, so I bet my ancestors used to eat it all the time!
I add a little lemon concentrate to water when I make oatmeal. And when it's done I stir in butter, honey and cinnamon.
My husband and I were just talking about Gruel and what was in it. I can't believe you did a video about it! I will have to watch it again with my husband. BTW, love the channel! Congrats on 1 million subs! You guys are great!
Too funny. I, too, recently bought corn meal to make my own tortillas and was just thinking about it today that I wonder what else I could do with that corn meal (as I'm not a super huge fan of corn bread) AND HERE WAS HER VIDEO. 😅 That gal above talking about frying it in bacon grease sounded good.
My grandparents were Romanian. We make a savory version of the corn meal gruel. However, we don't call it that. It is called mumalegia. Instead of adding sugar we put a small amount it in a bowl and then add soup or stew on top. My grandfather used to put it in a cup and add milk, and eat it for breakfast.
It seems every culture has this kind of food, to make a little bit of grain go further! In Chinese culture we have congee which is rice cooked very soft in lots of water or chicken broth. We put all kinds of savory toppings on it. My mom used to make it for us on snowy mornings just like some other folks here said their mother made oatmeal porridge.
My Scottish heritage as a Canadian means that I eat oatmeal 'gruel' every morning for breakfast. We call it porridge and it sticks to the ribs as my grandmother used to say. A little maple syrup and blueberries won't go amiss. There is a song in Scottish Gaelic about eating 'brochan' or oatmeal.
Yes I'm celtic too (Wales) and we eat porridge.. I like it was sugar ontop so it melts and forms a layer of sugar, like a creme brulee, except not stiff
I used to eat that at meal the same way! Ah such good memories.😃
It's called 'oat porridge' here in Sweden. My parents often eat it. The other dish is in principle polenta, that they eat in northern Italy.
You can also make it with wheat flour. You make a thick paste with the flour and water and cook it til it turns stretchy and brown. Then slowly add water, stirring constantly, until it reaches desired thickness. Season like grits or cream of wheat.
Did anyone else noticed that remedy to treat a rattlesnake bite when she’s holding the book open at about 12 seconds in? It’s crazy how they used to do that!
Farmers used to stuff straw into their socks and footwear to stop strikes from penetrating into the skin.
@@89128 That would be darn itchy.
That corn meal mush can also be savory. Cook in broth or water. Add any leftover meat or bacon. Add onions or garlic if you gave them. Grate cheese on top if you have it. Either gruel needs to have a spoon of butter added. Very fast, easy and versatile food.
My mom used to fix it with breakfast sausage. It was really good the next morning when she would fry it in bacon grease.
Butter and bacon make everything better 😋
In italy we have polenta. It’s corn meal
I have it almost every morning for breakfast (oats) but being "high society", I add milk and honey...lol I also eat Grits !
Just discovered this channel. So relaxing and nice. Thank you.
Traditional gruel is just what we'd call oatmeal now a days. Nothing fancy or overly complicated. Good for someone who has a sensitive stomach.
American gruel seems a little closer to what we'd call grits and I'm sure it tastes sweeter thanks to the corn. Neat ♥
This channel always makes me hungry. My mom would cook this every morning, but we would add milk.
I love your fires. They always look so cozy and comforting. Your home looks full of love ❤
Corn gruel was the hasty pudding in the Yankee Doodle song.
Oat gruel, corn gruel, grits, polenta, wheat gruel, sweet,savory, hot with Kitchen pepper I love ‘em all
Was it really? That's interesting, I never knew that.😊
Thank you so much for your hard work. It does not go unnoticed. God bless you both
There is no such thing as a God.
@@marcusd4366 I don’t believe that you exist but I know God does
@@marcusd4366
💯
@@livingformessiah586🤡
My dad made the cornmeal porridge when I was a little girl and I was born in 1962, so I remember this when I was 6 or 7 years old. This is one of my fondest memories with my dad.
My mom made it, too. We had to keep stirring it, so it wouldn’t be lumpy. Then we ate it with sugar and milk. We never thought to add raisins (great idea!), but we added raisins to oatmeal. Mmmmmm!
Thanks!
Two 'winter' breakfast meals that we eat all the time. Thanks Justine!
In the WV mountains we cook corn meal with a little salt then pour it in a pan and cool overnight. It is sliced and fried in bacon grease and eaten with breakfast. We call it mush. Many of the older folk pronounced it "mursh." Really good eatin.😊
I actually have several copies of that cookbook. I absolutely LOVE the information in it.
I like mine savoury as well, seasoned with salt, pepper and butter. For baked fish I make a tomato, bell pepper, onion and garlic sauce and pour that over the cornmeal, then sprinkle it with Parmesan cheese. Simply delicious!
My family made cornmeal mush (aka polenta) and had the fried slices with maple syrup, bacon, and scrambled eggs for breakfast on holidays. I occasionally eat the somewhat thicker grits these days, but always savory (cheese, green chile salsa, soft fried egg) rather than sweet. Both are good! For origin, my fam is Indiana/Missouri and I learned grits in Texas.
I honestly love your channel. It's soothing yet educating. I wish only good things for you and Ron and black cat ( and your family)
The first one is exactly how we make oatmeal on school/work mornings-just no salt or sugar. Our family has always made oatmeal that way. When the cornmeal version got smooth, it looked like yellow cream of wheat. Brought back memories!
I thought cream of wheat, too
Me too. Now I want cream of wheat
I had cream of wheat often when I was a kid. My Mom always put chocolate chips in it so you'd be eating it and ehh it's ok and then you'd bite into a bubble of chocolatey goodness and it was so great. Sometimes though she wouldn't cook it right and it would be really lumpy. Best to serve this stuff to kids because imagine the carbs. An adult would probably develop instant diabetes eating that stuff!
@@jaleach123 Personally, a few lumps here and there add some texture. I like it with honey or a drizzle of real maple syrup
@@jaleach123You don’t develop diabetes from eating carbohydrates. Not all carbs are the same and they’re not all unhealthy. There are complex carbohydrates and simple carbohydrates. You need to take a nutrition class.
We have Gries in Germany! It’s usually made of milled wheat flour with the consistency of corn meal, it’s boiled with milk till it’s either soft of a bit gooey. It goes rather solid once cool. Very good with apple sauce
Where i live we call the cornmeal one cornmeal mush and i ate it many many times growing up without the raisins. We ate it with sugar and butter like a hot breakfast cereal.
Ron looked as excited about the gruel as if someone said they were going to pull off all his toenails 😂 fr tho i actually like oatmeal! Didn’t realize gruel was actually just oatmeal..I usually make mine with milk and whatever fruit I have thrown in. It’s filling and cheap! I see why it was a staple.
Me neither. I like to add chopped dates to oatmeal.
Hi, Justine and Ron! My husband tried cooking the cornmeal gruel for our breakfast today, and we just finished enjoying it. It turned out delicious: smooth, thick, and very bright yellow! The raisins plumped up nicely. We’ll definitely be making this part of our breakfast repertoire. We already make oatmeal on the stovetop, similar to how you made it in the video, and it is a favorite choice here, especially on cold winter days. Thank you for another interesting lesson from history and the hearthside! Lynn and Chris in Hallsville, MO
Gruel, pottage, mush, porridge, it's such a versatile dish! My family is Italian, so I grew up eating polenta, which is made very similarly to the corn meal/Indian meal gruel that you made in this video, except for the raisins! You eat it, hot and freshly made, with cheese and meat sauce, or you let it cool and solidify, and fry slices of it to eat with fried eggs and tomato sauce the next morning.
I've never been someone who eats breakfast regularly, but now that I have to take medication every morning (with food), I have started eating oatmeal, but savory rather than sweet. I bring some chicken broth to a boil (I like to add a pinch of red pepper flakes and some mushroom powder to the broth), then add the uncooked oatmeal, and stir and cook until soft. Then I stir in some medium-spicy salsa, grated cheese, and chopped fresh cilantro. I always top it with a poached or soft-boiled egg for protein, and it has become my favorite weekday breakfast because I make it ahead of time (including the eggs), pre-portion it into containers, and put it in the fridge. It only needs a minute in the microwave to reheat it the next morning at work. Very fancy, compared to the original simple version, but still very good.
The crows in the background calling makes me feel happy. My mom’s “meal gravy” was cornmeal, bacon fat water, boiled until thick and served over toast
For the sick and injured in the Lower South, the liquid would be drained from the gruel and used as a drink. Sometimes arrowroot was mixed with it to thicken it to the consistency of milk.
It’s amazing how recipes are across cultures! In a lot of Caribbean cultures a cornmeal porridge is made similar to this. A recipe I recently tried was with coconut milk, cornmeal, cinnamon and nutmeg…it was delicious and definitely warming to the soul!!!
Loved this video. ❤ My grandmother and great grandmother (from southwestern Pennsylvania) considered rolled oats modern and a “fast food.” They both kept several types of oats and if you were sick you got some kind of version of oats: Scotch, steel cut, rolled, groats . . . depending on what kind of symptoms you had. Cornmeal was used for “mush” and fried mush, an everyday breakfast favorite with them both. During their last days both asked for nothing but fried cornmeal mush. Cream of wheat was the favorite of the grandchildren. I’m 70, so all that was a long, long time ago - back to the mid 1800s. Old old twin uncles who were Civil War prisoners were served a prison diet of a wheat flour paste, which they always referred to as “gruel.” Getting threatened with gruel for dinner was the designated punishment for naughty children. 😉
We grew up on both versions, but always added brown sugar to both.
My Grandfather called the corn version "cornmeal mush" . In colonial times (earlier than this reenactment is set) it might be called "hasty pudding" because it could be prepared so quickly with just a quick boil. Fast, economical, and nearly infinitely flexable as you can add whatever fruits, spices, syrups, butter, jams, etc you have on hand. Also great savory with a bit of cheese and topped with a fried egg. Be the times fat or lean, food like this should always be in your pantry and skill set.
Italians like me make Polenta. It’s corn meal that goes back at least to the ancient Romans. During quarantine I got some because you only need a little to make a lot. It’s very tasty with salt or honey!
Which grains do you use for polenta? Yes, now it's corn (maize), but in Roman times it wasn't. Do you make it with any of the other commonly used grains of the time?
@argonwheatbelly637 Oh goodness, I’m actually a music historian rather than a food historian (except for watching this channel!). I’d love to try that though. I just use corn meal.
I've never made a sweet polenta, but based on Ron's reaction, it looks to be a hit!
The NY & NJ Dutch ate a similar corn gruel which they called "Suppan." It was usually a communal meal, with milk often added. Peter Kalm describes it while in Albany, NY.
I am so hooked on this channel! It’s so refreshing to see something that is entertaining, educational and historical all in one video. And I love that both of you feel free just to be yourselves. Hurray for you!
And...if you want to take a detour...put the thickened corn stuff in a loaf pan. Cool til firm, usually overnight. In the morning, turn out of the pan, slice (moderate thickness), & fry til golden on both sides. When serving, it can be topped w/ butter & syrup, jam, whatever you have. Plain sugar, even. Fried cornmeal mush. I LOVE it w/ a bit of salt & syrup. Not sure how old this recipe is, but it's good. (It'll be much better if you don't consider the calories...😂)
Knowing how much Ron loves America…I’m guessing he’s going to pick the American version of gruel no matter how good or bad it is 😂🇺🇸 going over now to find out! 🇺🇸🧐 Thanks, Justine! ❤🇺🇸❤🇺🇸❤🇺🇸
The parts at 3:05 and 5:11 with Ron made me chuckle so much!
I am a new subscriber and am enjoying these lovely & relaxing videos tremendously! I am even learning fun historical facts! Thank you!
Love to watch you cook old school you r so beautiful and graceful in the kitchen
Atole in New Mexico. Comfort food for sure! You can make it with blue corn. -tastes like cream of wheat.
My granny (born in 1897) had what she called “hot cereal” every morning. Cream of rice, cream of wheat, maltomeal (wheat and barley), oatmeal and “mush” (cornmeal). My mom never cooked a hot breakfast (or much at all) and my dad’s repertoire was limited to eggs, bacon, and fried potatoes. I still love hot cereal for breakfast, but never knew it was gruel. I belong to a Viking reenactment group, and make barley with apples, honey and cardamom for breakfast, so I guess gruel really does go back. Do you know if any civilization ever utilized rye gruel? I’m curious now…
Slavic nations used rye and buckwheat to make what they call kasha.
@@yanasmith6813 thank you! I’ll take a look. :-)
It sounds like what your Grandad had was an English Fried Breakfast (aka fry up) if your Grandad had Fried sausages and mushrooms instead of Potatoes
My grandmother also had hot cereal every morning. I often had it with her. Oatmeal, cream of wheat, cream of rice, or Wheateena. I liked them all
I love that you are filming also food for poor🤗🤗 amazing video as always
I never thought of gruel as being porridge or polenta/grits. Another fantastic video. Keep them coming i love them♥🇨🇦
From what I understand, if it’s made with water it’s gruel, if it’s made with milk it’s porridge.
I keep cornmeal mostly for treating fire ants, but now want to try it! I think I'll try it via the recipe Justine used, but then another commenter mentioned making a savory version, so I might dress it up like grits with cheese and a fried egg.
May I ask if you just put the dry cornmeal on the ant hill or do you add anything to it?
@@annarussell3751 Put on good boots then agitate the mound. Spread dry cornmeal all over the mound. Also sprinkle within about a foot circumference. Treat every mound you find at once. Most of them live deep underground and like to travel. You'll never get the whole mound, but either this OR boiling water (not both) is safe for kids and pets. Best of luck!
@@daisukidatotoro Thank you so much! Yes, I am glad to hear about something safe for pets.
@@annarussell3751 😊
The one with the Oats is what my grandma used to make us, me and my sister, when we were little. She sometimes make it with water or with milk and much runnier then your version. She called it "Oat Soup". It is one of my loved childhod memorys and watching you cook it brings me back to that time.
Just wanted to thank you for your wonderful videos!! 😊 I love the details, the receipts, & the authenticity you put into everything! And with each video I watch, I learn something!! Plus, you 2 are oh so adorable!! Thank you thank you thank you❣️❣️
In Pennsylvania, we make this and call it cornmeal mush - minus the raisons. I make it with water, milk, cornmeal and a little butter. Then add salt, sugar, nutmeg and parmesan cheese. So good. My grandmother used to make mush with cornmeal, water and salt and put it in a square baking pan overnight in the refrigerator. The next day she'd cut it into squares and fry it in a pan with butter. It's interesting to see "mush" comes from.
My Irish parents grew up on the oatmeal kind of gruel. My father called it "stirabout". He said that when it was made with milk, it was porridge. No raisins as far as I know though.
In my country Corn meal is a staple food. We have it in the morning. We eat it with barberque... in my country we call it a braai. We make savory dishes and sweet dishes and we consume it with gravy. Or make onion and tamato source and eat it with that. We also eat oats, but not with raisins. 🌻
I have porridge (oats, water, raisin, salt) every morning.... 💜
So enjoying your cooking skills over the open fire! Great camera work and so relaxing! Happy Independence Day!
I Love your cozy little home. And you are adorable. Awesome channel! 👍👍☺🥂
I prepare both of these but never add raisins nor sugar but butter and salt. Yummy.
Here in Austria the cornmeal-gruel is called Polenta or Maisbrei (Brei is gruel, Mais is Corn).
I just realized (thanks to your video) that I had a bowl of oat gruel with blueberries this morning! Enjoyed it very much.
oatmeal with raisins, sugar, nutmeg and maybe cinnamon is a pretty good breakfast (and cheap)
grits is a mostly southern breakfast dish (although regional variations in the US exist) made the same way as the corn 'gruel'. similar in process to italian 'polenta' but polenta is usually cooked longer and thicker.
i've always thought of 'gruel' as a very soupy version of either. you could probably use different grains as well. throw in some bacon.
thanks again for your videos! soothing.
I'm sure I would have preferred the corn gruel. Perhaps a pat of butter? (If available)
These foods you prepared are very healthy. Thanks for sharing with us all.
Titanic 3rd Class supper night of sinking: Gruel, Cabin Biscuits, Cheese. My mother told me that back in the 20's to the 60's, fresh raviolis were packed in cornmeal. This cornmeal was saved and cooked into gruel, but they called it polenta.
I’m from South Louisiana and this is oatmeal with raisins and grits. Ha! Oatmeal is healthy!
Thank you for the very interesting and informative videos. Love the old fashioned look.
I was just reading this receipt the other day!!! I love Mrs. Child's book, great advice, is applicable, even today. I am a big fan of porridge, I love oatmeal, farina, and cream of wheat, but most people make gruel and call it porridge. In culinary school, I was the only one to get an A on porridge day.
First time that I know about Gruel. Thank you Justine for the recipes.
Cornmeal gruel is "sunshine cereal" at our house, and it is the favorite breakfast of our youngest, who turns five next week. I think my wife adds some butter, but very little sugar.
The corn gruel is also excellent made in a savory way, instead of raisins and sugar, use thin sliced shallots, a bit of cheese, and a bit of butter. Top with a soft boiled egg or crumbles of bacon if you're fancy
Yum.
My mom used to make me corn meal mush when i was little. I loved it with milk, butter, salt and sugar.
That's how I make oatmeal for breakfast. Sometimes I add a little butter and milk and use craisins or raisins depending what's available.
Thanks for sharing!
I just made this for my kids and they were split 50/50 on liking/not liking it.
I thought it was definitely a good recipe to have though! What an inexpensive but yummy dish.
I ate this often as a child. Was just called breakfast oatmeal. Apples, any fruits added. Mmmm
Poor Justine , I hope she saved some without nutmeg. Not a favorite of hers. Love the video and i was thrilled to meet you two. ❤❤
So, after a lifetime of wondering what gruel was, I find out it's oatmeal! Who knew? Not me!
I think most people knew that gruel is oatmeal.
I've been wondering if corn meal gruel was also called "mush". I know this is silly, but while watching this, I remembered a "Little Rascals" episode when the some orphans were brought to a restaurant by their benefactor/rescuer. The kids had been given nothing but mush to eat at the orphanage. The French waiter served them mush and said, "All zee children have mush!" They all (including the adult) promptly threw the mush at the waiter!
Anyhow, I like oatmeal flavored with butter and real maple syrup, and though it isn't made with cornmeal but hominy, I really like grits. I add just butter and bacon (and sometimes a little cheddar) to the grits.
That's ok. Hominy is better for you. Niacin.
My Great Grandma lived thru the Spanish flu, and the Depression. She was so grateful for so little...she often had an egg , a piece of toast and a cup of coffee for breakfast, she humbly Thanked the Lord, before she sat down at the table to eat....and then she Praised the Lord, to hear her, you would have thought she won the lottery.
The Lord blessed us with her for 99 years.
Another interesting choice. I noticed where the receipt called for nicely sifted oat- meal.... I bet that would be better and easier to get down. The consistency would be a log smoother!
😋 delicious 😋
in my italian family we had something corn POLENTA AND IT WAS very similar to the above.
Romanians make the same thing and call it mamaliga
I grew up eating oats with raisins & corn meal "mush" as we called it. My dad would fry any left over mush with bacon grease the next morning. It was sure good!The addition of raisins to the corn mush looks yummy 😋
As always enjoyed your video! Thank y'all for everything you do. ❤️ God bless y'all 🙌 & keep you safe!
Amo esse canal compartilho mil vezes 🎉🎉🎉
God bless you!!
What Grandma first cooked was mush, later when she fried it, the name changed to corn pone. So many names for cornmeal based dishes.
Whole, ground or cut oats, rolled oats weren't until 1900ish. Same idea though, same results just faster cooking.
How you made the first version is exactly the way I make oatmeal - minus the raisins. I'll occasionally add blueberries, if I have them. I've never tried the one with cornmeal.
I've got cornmeal in the pantry. Maybe I'll try the second version.
I'm from canada. The east coast we call it porridge made with oats, salt and butter. We pour cream or milk in it and lots of brown sugar 😋
That gives me flashbacks of Girl Guide camp. The oatmeal vats for breakfast were legendary... and feared. Maybe if they'd used the cornmeal instead? It was a different story when they had maple syrup to go with it though. There isn't much that can't be improved with that.
Is it like grits?? I love grits!!!!❤
Not quite. Grits are made from nixtamalized hominy and corn meal is made from ground dry corn kernels.
We grew up eating mush and I love it still today.... but we never put raisins in it...just butter and ate it like grits
I noticed your small fire. I know your weather is very hot these days and I would bet back in the day they would cook outside in that kind of weather. That being said I do enjoy your videos.
Years ago, ok, back in the 80's, while in college on RI, I had 2 international roommates. One from Jamaica and the other from Haiti. They both called oatmeal "porridge". Barbara (Jamaican) would put raisins, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon 😋
I've never ate any, great video. Always enjoy the cozy feeling inside ur cottage.. hey again from South Carolina..
Looks like Ron likes the cornmeal best! Blessings.
Now we know Ron is definitely American at heart🤣. God Bless 🥰