The Best Thick and Creamy Grits Recipe - caramel and cashews (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to great 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.

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.

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.

Aside from lots of delicious cheese, these grits get their extra creaminess by cooking them in milk. Yep. No water here! Grits are often synonymous with the South and are considered not only a Southern staple, but a tradition.

For 1 serving: Combine 1-1/3 cups water and 1/8 tsp. salt with 1/3 cup Dixie Lily Grits in a 1-quart bowl. Microwave at HIGH 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let stand until desired consistency.

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.

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.

While he, too, advocates a nice soaking of the grits before cooking to develop flavor, it's not a must. But a slow simmer is non-negotiable. Use a heavy pot, bring the water to a nice steamy simmer, stir in the grits, cover, and then reduce the heat to achieve a slow, lazy bubbling.

Quick and regular grits: The only difference between these types is in granulation. Quick grits are ground fine and cook in 5 minutes; regular grits are medium grind and cook in 10 minutes. Instant grits: These fine-textured grits have been precooked and dehydrated. To prepare them, simply add boiling water.

How do Southerners eat their grits? ›

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).

Oatmeal has more fiber and protein, grits have more iron and B vitamins. However, oatmeal has a lower glycemic index. So for blood sugar control, oatmeal could be a better option. But when balanced right, both oatmeal and grits can fit into a healthy diet.

Southern grits are some of the creamiest, dreamiest dishes on the planet. Made from stone-ground grits and slow cooked to perfection, I love them best finished with a generous heap of butter, cheese (mmm, cheesy grits!), and heavy cream.

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.

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.

Grits are usually served as breakfast food but can be a part of any meal. Shrimps and grits, for example, is an anytime dish hailing from South Carolina (via The Old Mill). It is not uncommon to serve stews and chilis on a bed of grits, and grits can be allowed to cool and then cut and fried, like polenta.