Corn Nixtamalization Protocol Using Wood Ash

 

This protocol describes the traditional method of nixtamalizing corn with hardwood ash, a practice used for millennia by indigenous peoples across North America and Mesoamerica. The process is straightforward but requires careful attention to detail, proper ash quality, and essential safety precautions.

Pre-Protocol Preparation

Selecting and Preparing Wood Ash

The foundation of successful wood ash nixtamalization is quality ash from hardwoods only. Hardwoods such as oak, birch, hickory, and other deciduous leafy trees produce superior ash for nixtamalization. Avoid softwoods entirely—coniferous trees like pine, spruce, and cedar contain excessive resin and fat content that "gum up" the solution and compromise pH quality. The ash should be sifted through a fine mesh strainer to remove large charcoal chunks and unburnt wood pieces before use.radicalgastronomy​youtube+1​

Wood ash pH varies by tree species. Oak ash extract reaches pH 13.18, while birch ash extract reaches approximately pH 12.09. This difference, though seemingly small on the linear scale, represents significant variation in alkalinity. Oak ash's higher pH makes it particularly effective, though both are suitable for nixtamalization when used in appropriate ratios.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih​

Sourcing ash: If you lack a fireplace or woodstove, sifted food-grade hardwood ash can be purchased online. Alternatively, some wood-fired restaurants discard quality ash at the end of their service, providing free supplies if requested.masienda​

Safety Precautions

Wood ash when wet becomes caustic and can produce chemical burns to skin, eyes, and respiratory tissue. Implement these protective measures:weyerhaeuser+1​

Personal protective equipment: Wear chemical-resistant gloves (non-latex preferred), long-sleeved shirts, long pants, closed shoes with socks, and safety goggles to protect eyes. Eye protection is especially critical during solution creation and application to corn. Some practitioners recommend rubber gloves specifically designed for chemical handling.cityofpasadena+2​

Respiratory protection: Wear a NIOSH-approved N95 or P100 respirator when handling dry ash, particularly during sifting operations. These respirators must fit tightly to your face with a secure seal—surgical masks and single-strap dust masks provide insufficient protection.weyerhaeuser+1​

Environment and ventilation: Work outdoors or in well-ventilated areas when handling ash, particularly during the sifting and solution preparation phases. Avoid stirring or sifting ash unnecessarily, as this generates airborne particles that increase inhalation risk.cityofpasadena+1​

First aid: If ash contacts skin, brush off gently and wash immediately with soap and water. If ash contacts eyes, rinse immediately and cautiously with water for several minutes, remove contact lenses if present, and continue rinsing before seeking medical attention. If ingested, rinse mouth and do not induce vomiting; seek medical evaluation.weyerhaeuser​

Vulnerable populations: People with heart or lung disease, asthma, older adults, children, and pregnant people should exercise special caution or avoid exposure entirely.cityofpasadena​

Materials and Proportions

For a basic batch producing approximately 15 cups of finished nixtamal:

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Dry field corn	15 cups	Remove particles, dirt, corn silk before useporvenirdesign​
Hardwood ash (sifted)	15 cups	Equal parts ash to corn by volumemasienda+1​
Water	Approximately 9 liters (varies)	Water-to-ash ratio is 3:1youtube​masienda​

Alternative proportions for learning: If beginning with smaller quantities, use equal parts corn and ash by volume, then add three parts water for every one part ash. For example: 1 cup corn + 1 cup ash + 3 cups water. This ratio can be adjusted after observing results.masienda​

For dry hominy or cornmeal production, a more conservative approach uses: 1 quart dry corn + 1.5 quarts spring water + 4-7 tablespoons hardwood ash lye (or 1 cup hardwood ash). This concentration loosens hulls without excessively softening kernels.allthingshominy​

Step-by-Step Protocol

Day 1: Corn Soaking

Begin by thoroughly rinsing the dry corn under running water to remove particles, dirt, floating chaff, and corn silk. Place cleaned corn in a covered pot and submerge it completely, covering with at least four inches of water above the kernel level. Cover the pot and allow corn to soak 12 to 24 hours at room temperature. This preliminary soaking hydrates the kernels and prepares them for alkaline treatment.porvenirdesign​

Day 2: Lye Solution Preparation

Drain the pre-soaked corn thoroughly. In a separate large pot, create the alkaline solution by combining sifted hardwood ash with water in a 1:3 ratio (one part ash to three parts water by volume). For the 15-cup batch, mix 15 cups sifted ash into 9 liters of water (approximately 2.25 gallons).youtube​masienda​

Bring this ash-water mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for approximately 10 minutes to 1 hour. During simmering, stir occasionally. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to settle for 30 minutes to 2 hours at room temperature. During this settling phase, ash particles and charcoal settle to the bottom, clarifying the liquid.radicalgastronomy​youtube​

Using eye protection and rubber gloves, carefully pour the clarified lye water from the top of the pot into another container, leaving the settled ash residue and charcoal at the bottom of the original pot. Ideally, filter this lye solution through cheesecloth or fine mesh to further clarify it, removing fine ash particles. The finished lye water should be clear to amber or yellow colored. During this filtration, you will observe the corn begin to change color immediately when it contacts the lye solution, confirming that the solution is sufficiently alkaline.allthingshominy+1​youtube​

Adding Corn to Lye Solution

Add the drained pre-soaked corn to the clarified lye water and stir gently to ensure even distribution. The corn will noticeably change color within the first minute of exposure to the lye, typically developing a dull steel blue appearance before transitioning to golden yellow hues as the alkali reacts with the corn proteins. This visible color change confirms the chemical reaction is proceeding correctly.youtube​radicalgastronomy​

Cooking Phase

Heat the corn and lye mixture to a simmer (gentle boiling, not a rolling boil). Maintain this simmer for 30 minutes to several hours, depending on your desired final texture. The longer you cook and soak, the softer the kernels become and the more the hulls loosen and fall away. For whole hominy (with hulls remaining on for soups), 30 minutes to 1 hour of simmering followed by soaking may suffice. For fully processed nixtamal intended for grinding into masa or producing very soft hominy, simmer for 2-3 hours or even longer.radicalgastronomy​youtube​

Soaking Phase

After the desired cooking time, remove the pot from heat. Allow the corn to soak overnight (or for 8-12 hours minimum) in the warm alkaline solution without further cooking. This soaking period allows the alkalinity to fully penetrate the kernels, hydrating them thoroughly and allowing hulls to fully separate from kernels.everydaylatina​youtube​

Day 3: Rinsing and Hull Removal

After overnight soaking, drain the corn thoroughly from the alkaline solution (discard the spent alkaline liquid or nejayote). Place drained corn in a colander and rinse under cold running water multiple times. During the first few rinses, the water will appear cloudy or grayish with suspended ash particles and loosened hulls.everydaylatina​

Continue rinsing until the water runs clear and no longer appears ashy. To accelerate hull removal, gently rub the kernels between your hands underwater—this mechanical agitation helps loosen and remove remaining hulls from the soft, swollen kernels. Many hulls are so loosened that they float away or drop easily during this hand-rubbing process.tastingtable+2​

Important note: Some practitioners prefer to perform rinsing outdoors or in areas where ash residue won't clog pipes, as settled ash can accumulate in plumbing. Alternatively, use a sink with adequate drain capacity.allthingshominy​

Continue the rinsing and rubbing process until most visible hulls are removed and water runs clear. Some practitioners then allow the cleaned nixtamal to rest in cool water for several hours before final use.tastingtable+1​

Quality Assessment and Adjustment

The finished nixtamal should exhibit the following characteristics: kernels are soft and bloated (nearly double original size), hulls have mostly separated and been removed, the distinctive cornmeal aroma is present, and the product has a slightly slimy feel due to absorbed moisture and alkaline treatment.

If, after initial testing, you find the nixtamalized corn insufficient—kernels too firm, hulls inadequately loosened—adjust in subsequent batches by: increasing ash concentration by approximately 10-15%, extending the soaking period by 4-8 hours, or both. Conversely, if nixtamal is too soft or mushy, reduce ash concentration or shorten soaking time.masienda​

Post-Processing Uses

Fresh nixtamal can be used immediately for cooking pozole (hominy soup) or other dishes. For masa production, grind nixtamal through a food mill, stone grinder, or nixtamal grinder to produce a fine, smooth dough suitable for tortillas, tamales, and other traditional foods.radicalgastronomy​

Notes on Waste Management

The spent alkaline solution (nejayote) contains dissolved corn material, ash residue, and alkaline compounds with pH 9-12. Traditional uses included incorporation into plasters and construction materials. Modern disposal requires attention to local regulations regarding alkaline waste, though nejayote can theoretically be neutralized with acid before disposal or composted in small quantities to reduce environmental impact.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih​

This traditional wood ash nixtamalization protocol restores a knowledge system that sustained civilizations for thousands of years while providing superior nutritional and culinary outcomes compared to untreated corn.

1. https://www.radicalgastronomy.com/new-blog/2017/3/28/tamal
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiMWLFI-yd0
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VjchvSXklU
4. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12348503/
5. https://masienda.com/blogs/learn/wood-ash-nixtamal
6. https://www.weyerhaeuser.com/application/files/5316/5975/8398/Wood_Ash_US.pdf
7. https://www.cityofpasadena.net/public-health/news-announcements/safety-precautions-and-ash-exposure-prevention/
8. https://www.porvenirdesign.com/blog/2018/11/19/corn-nixtamalization-recipes-and-recommendations-for-efficiency
9. https://allthingshominy.com/2015/10/24/homemade-hominy/
10. https://allthingshominy.com/2015/10/03/how-to-make-your-own-woodash-lye/
11. https://everydaylatina.com/how-to-nixtamalize-corn-for-tamales/
12. https://www.tastingtable.com/1171123/the-process-of-nixtamalization-explained/
13. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7823315/
14. https://fermentpittsburgh.com/2021/09/15/homemade-hominy-nixtamalization/
15. https://masienda.com/blogs/learn/nixtamal-guide
16. https://ravensroots.org/blog/makinglye
17. https://www.layinggroundwork.org/how-to-nixtamalize-corn/
18. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1290213228034344/posts/2179453279110330/