I fry sliced cornmeal mush in a cast iron pan without it breaking up. Looks like it wasn't the skillet but maybe not enough liquid in the polenta before you poured it in the loaf pan.

I end up using 6 cups of water to 2 cups of cornmeal.

I agree with Ruthanna - not enough liquid. It looks crumbly like cornbread instead of moistly solid. Try again with more liquid.

Alexa

Tracey, having eaten my fair share of fried mush (yeah, it's the same as polenta), I also think you needed your polenta to be more liquid so that it stays in slices and doesn't crumble.

Mine was always cooked in a cast iron skillet which was pretty well seasoned, but it didn't take a lot of fat to get it brown and crunchy.

Annie

How does it taste at that pic point? It should not be at all grainy, very creamy. Yup, i guess more liquid and a longer cooking time before the chill. I also use cast iron and not that much olive oil really. I just don't touch it even though it appears to be sticking but will lift when a crust forms. It also could be too coarse of a cornmeal?

It helps to get the pan hot then add the oil and when that is hot, add the polenta. But, stainless steel does stick sometimes.

Thanks for all the help! I use a ratio of 4 cups broth/water to 1 c polenta which is very coarsely ground. I cook it maybe half an hour then add a little butter and parmesan. I will definitely add more liquid next time. I cooked 2 more pieces in my little non stick and they turned out great so I guess that is another option. As for taste, I was totally scraping the crusty stuff out of the all clad and chomping down. Not grainy at all. I did not wait for the pan to get hot before I added the ghee so that is something else to try. Thanks again for all the pointers!

Tracey

OT: Did you make your own ghee?

Sally

Heat pan, add oil, add food. That should do it!

Looks good! I would have done the same....scraping up the pan.

As far as clean up goes, it should soak off. Stainless cleans up really quickly. If not, try putting water in the pan with a few drops of dish detergent and put it on the stove at a low heat.

Sally, no I didn't make my own ghee. I tried to not lot ago and it was just okay. Still had some brown bits in it as much as I tried to skim it. I found an organic brand at the health food store and it's worked great. I don't use it often so that's how I justify the cost.

Dee, it came off pretty easily. I do love my all clad!
Tracey

tracey another way to use your polenta is to slice and brush with EVOO and put under the broiler. We love it this way. Can then sprinkle on some extra parmesan. It gets lovely crust and hardly any extra oil needed. I love polenta :) c