Canadian National Dishes

Haudenosaunee Corn Soup

Name: Haudenosaunee Corn Soup
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 165 min
Total time: 190 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Canadian
Ingredients: 15 mL neutral oil; 680 g boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 2.5 cm cubes; 2.5 L water, divided; 300 g turnip, peeled and diced; 150 g yellow onion, diced; 2 cans (540 mL each) white hominy, drained and rinsed; about 600 g drained total; 1 can (540 mL) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed; about 250 g drained; 30 g all-purpose wheat flour; 4 g fine salt; 1 g ground black pepper

Haudenosaunee corn soup has many family and community versions. This home recipe follows one published Mohawk version associated with Richard Jock of Akwesasne, which combines corn, meat, beans, onion and turnip. Jock notes that other versions may use white beans or leave out the onion and turnip. Here, canned white hominy is a practical shortcut for prepared Haudenosaunee hulled white corn; it has a different texture and does not reproduce the traditional processing.

Canadian National Dishes

A wide view places the hominy, kidney beans, pork and turnip soup on the right, with pale tabletop open on the left. — The bowl sits on the right of a bright wide frame, leaving clean tabletop beside the pork-and-hominy soup.

Prep 25 minutes

Cook 2 hours 45 minutes

Total 3 hours 10 minutes

Calories About 340 kcal

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Haudenosaunee Corn Soup

Practical

Cut the pork into even 2.5 cm cubes so the pieces brown and become tender at a similar rate.
Brown the meat in batches; crowding the pot steams it and leaves less flavor in the broth.
Drain and rinse both cans, then add the cooked hominy and beans near the end so they keep their shape.

Ingredients

Meat base

15 mL neutral oil
680 g boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 2.5 cm cubes
2.5 L water, divided

Vegetables and corn

300 g turnip, peeled and diced
150 g yellow onion, diced
2 cans (540 mL each) white hominy, drained and rinsed; about 600 g drained total
1 can (540 mL) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed; about 250 g drained

Thickener and seasoning

30 g all-purpose wheat flour
4 g fine salt
1 g ground black pepper

Directions

Method

Step 1Wash and dry the turnip and onion. Peel and dice the turnip; dice the onion. Cut the pork into even 2.5 cm cubes and trim away any thick pieces of surface fat.
Step 2Drain and rinse the hominy and kidney beans in a colander. Measure 2.5 L water and set aside 60 mL for the flour slurry.
Step 3Heat the oil in a heavy soup pot over medium-high heat. Brown the pork in batches for about 8 minutes total, turning the pieces so several sides take on color.
Step 4Return all the pork to the pot. Pour in 2.44 L water and scrape up the browned bits. Bring to a boil, skim any foam, then cover and reduce to a gentle simmer for 1 hour 45 minutes.
Step 5Add the turnip, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until it is beginning to soften.
Step 6Add the onion and simmer covered for 10 minutes more.
Step 7Check the largest pork cube with a digital thermometer. It must reach at least 71°C and be tender enough to cut easily; continue simmering if either cue is not met.
Step 8Stir in the rinsed hominy and kidney beans. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes so they heat through without breaking apart.
Step 9Whisk the flour with the reserved 60 mL cold water until smooth. Slowly stir the slurry into the pot, simmer for 7 minutes while stirring often, then add the salt and pepper.
Step 10Taste the broth and serve the soup hot in eight bowls. If the broth thickens while standing, stir in a little hot water before serving.

Practical

Serving

Use canned white hominy for this quicker home version. If you have prepared, fully cooked hulled Haudenosaunee white corn, replace the hominy with the same drained cooked volume. Dried hulled corn needs advance soaking and a long simmer; follow its package or trusted producer’s directions. Do not use raw, unhulled field corn as a direct substitute.

Make-ahead

The source version names wild game, pork or beef, and notes that beans and vegetables vary between communities. This recipe fixes pork, red kidney beans, onion and turnip for one consistent home version. A different meat changes cooking time and nutrition, so check doneness rather than relying on the stated time alone.

Storage and reheating

Cool leftovers in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours at 4°C or colder. Eat within 2–3 days or freeze. Reheat only the portion you need, stirring until it reaches 74°C throughout and comes to a full boil.

Control points

The pork is still firmKeep the pot at a gentle simmer and check again in 15-minute intervals. The cubes should cut easily before the corn and beans go in.
The broth is too thinSimmer uncovered for a few more minutes, stirring often. For a thicker bowl, mash a few hominy kernels against the side of the pot.
The soup is too thickStir in hot water a little at a time until it is spoonable.

Nutrition

Serving sizeAbout 520 g
CaloriesAbout 340 kcal
CarbohydrateAbout 24 g
ProteinAbout 20 g
FatAbout 18 g
FibreAbout 6 g
SodiumAbout 480 mg

Allergens and food safety

This recipe contains wheat in the thickener. Check the hominy and bean labels for allergen and cross-contact statements. Use only commercially cooked canned kidney beans; never use raw or partly cooked kidney beans. Keep raw pork separate from ready-to-eat food and wash hands, utensils and surfaces after handling it. Cook the pork to at least 71°C. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours at 4°C or colder, use within 2–3 days or freeze, and reheat to 74°C throughout.

FAQ

Can I use dried hulled white corn instead of canned hominy?

Yes. Use fully processed, hulled corn and cook it separately until tender before measuring the cooked amount. The Ganondagan White Corn Project’s directions call for an overnight soak followed by about 3 hours of simmering; the exact time depends on the corn. Drain and rinse it before adding it to the soup.

Closing notes

This is one home adaptation associated with an Akwesasne Mohawk version; it does not represent every Haudenosaunee community’s corn soup.
For the clearest texture, add the cooked corn and beans only after the pork and turnip are tender.