Homemade Corn Nuts (tm)?

I've several ideas for dishes that involve Corn Nuts (tm), the large and toasty bar and beer staple snack. I would love to make my own (with less salt and little of the processing and additives that go into the commercial version). Research has yielded no results (a highly guarded trade secret?). I've tried toasting and deep-frying corn kernels; pretty damned good, but not exactly what I'm seeking.

Any ideas?

Cheers,
Wade

I've seen corn nuts described as "eating your own teeth."
Now mind you, I do like 'em, though I haven't had any in years.

A quick google search of "how are corn nuts made?" yielded these sites:
A possible recipe:
http://www.kurtsaxon.com/foods009.htm

Hormel's info on them, which contradicts the recipe above, saying they're baked.
http://www.hormel.com/kitchen/glossary. ... catitemid=

JoelF,

That first link yielded the holy grail.

I've been trying fresh and frozen kernels, and never thought to start with dry and reconstituted dry ones.

Updates to come . . . .

Cheers,
Wade

My inclination would be to go with the big mutant-looking kernels like you see in Ecuadorian grocery stores.

On the Hormel site, the words "baked in such a manner as to produce kernels that are hollow with a hard-textured outer layer" ring true, so maybe baking (at least partially) is a good idea.

Hammond