The Best Southern Cheese Grits Recipe In Georgia - The Domestic Diva (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to good grits? ›

The key to cooking old-fashioned grits is going low and slow—use a low heat so the grits simmer and slowly release their starches, which creates a decadent, silky texture. Whisking constantly during the first couple of minutes, and frequently throughout the rest of the cooking process, will prevent lumps from forming.

No matter which variety, yellow or white, the beauty of grits is their versatility and ability to take on most flavors paired with them, although they are always best when cooked with milk instead of water. The flavor and consistency difference is truly amazing.

Use mostly water and add a small amount of cream, such as the 1/4 to 1/2 cup recommended by our test kitchen. If you want a stronger dairy flavor, you can use a mixture of half milk and half water along with the cream.

Serving Southern Grits

We always add cheese to our grits — either Parmesan or sharp cheddar. But you can certainly skip the cheese altogether; some people prefer theirs without. We often eat these grits as-is for breakfast (or topped with a fried egg or crumbled sausage).

Baking soda breaks through the structure of the grains of corn, encouraging gelatinization of the grits' starches so that they absorb liquid, thicken up, and get creamy in no time.

It doesn't taste like egg, not really, but it makes the grits taste richer, with a more cohesive, rib-sticking texture. It's also an easy way to sneak a little more protein in there—six grams per egg—and I've found it amplifies the cheesiness of cheese grits, without adding any extra dairy.

Whole milk: You can do all water with just a splash of milk if you like, as long as there is some. It provides a creaminess that you can't get with just water. You can also use anything from whole to skim milk, but for quick grits I don't recommend using anything heavier than half-and-half because it's too thick.

Stone-ground grits are whole dried corn kernels that have been coarsely ground the old-fashioned way: between the two stones of a grist mill. Because the entire kernel is ground, including the germ, stone-ground grits often have a speckled appearance, a more toothsome texture, and a rich corn flavor.

Grits are kinda bland in their natural state. Butter, salt, and pepper wakes them up and bring out that wonderful light corn flavor. Adding cheddar cheese, hot sauce, bacon bits, garlic, and other spices is also great!

Cooking Instructions

Press grits into bottom and up sides of 2 cup capacity ovenproof ramekins or baking dishes sprayed with nonstick spray. Make indentation in center of grits. Break egg into indentation. Bake 15 minutes or until egg is desired doneness.

What is better than grits? ›

According to Livestrong, oatmeal offers more fiber and protein than grits do, but grits contain more micronutrients that you need in your daily diet. (They both contain similar numbers of calories per serving.)

Grits, especially in their whole-grain form, hold on to many of these helpful plant compounds, even when you boil them. Grits, as whole grains or enriched varieties, also contain folate, which helps prevent birth defects and may also lower your risk of heart disease and cancer.

Deciding when your grits are done is a personal choice, and will determine your total cooking time. Some people like their grits more on the runny side with a little gritty texture still remaining, others want them creamy and thick but flowing, and some want them so stiff they're able to hold their shape when dolloped.

To Make 1 Serving:

1/4 Cup Grits. 1 Cup Water or Milk. Dash of salt (optional)

Make them creamier by cooking longer. Some folks add milk to the water and say that helps as well. The issue with using milk is scorching. Frequent whisking or stirring is essential with all types of grits.

Before turning on the stove, artisan grain producer Anson Mills recommends soaking the grits overnight for a “superior” texture. This step also reduces the cooking time by about 50 percent, which can take from about 20 minutes to 1 hour or more, depending on the type of grits and desired consistency.

If desired, you can rinse stone-ground grits in a fine-mesh strainer, then drain well and whisk into the water as per the recipe; this can clean them of any dust or debris that might have gotten mixed into the bag during the milling process.