Native American recipes have seen a resurgence in the US into the 2000s, through interest in traditional American foodways. The original recipe for this dense meatloaf-style dish comes from the Cherokee tribe who used wild onions, wild game, and buffalo berries. A cast iron Dutch oven, heated over a grill or hot coals, comes close to replicating the originally-used pottery vessel that was placed over hot stones. Poyha slices can be served topped with sauces like gravy, cream, or ketchup, eaten in sandwiches, or on frybread.
Recipe Servings: 8
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
- 1 can (28 oz) whole kernel corn, drained (or 2 cups frozen corn, thawed)
- 2 cups green seedless grapes, finely chopped
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 eggs
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- Paprika, to taste (optional)
- ½ tsp garlic salt (optional)
- 3 Tbsp oil
- 3 slices bacon, chopped
- 2 lbs ground beef, venison, elk, turkey, or chicken
- 1¼ cups coarse yellow cornmeal
- Nonstick cooking spray, as needed to grease Dutch oven
Directions
- Process the corn into small pieces in a blender or food processor, stopping before it liquefies.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together chopped corn with chopped grapes, onion, eggs, and pepper. Add paprika and garlic salt, if using. Set aside.
- Heat oil and bacon in a large skillet set over medium heat.
- Add the ground meat and brown.
- Drain the meat, and then add it to the corn mixture.
- Add the cornmeal to the mixture and combine, working with hands. Add more cornmeal if needed.
- Grease a Dutch oven using nonstick cooking spray and then pack the dough into it.
- Cover and grill over medium heat, or cook over hot coals, for 45–60 minutes.
- Let cool for 15 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
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