Rich grits | Pork recipes | Jamie Oliver recipes (2024)

FAQs

What does putting milk in grits do? ›

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.

Grits are often cooked in either milk or water; we prefer a combination of the two for silky grits that aren't too heavy. For additional flavor, substitute water with chicken or vegetable stock. Grits require a 1:4 cup ratio of grain to liquid.

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!

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.

A higher 5:1 ratio by volume of water to grits ensures they cook through fully with no stubborn, hard bits. The recommended stone-ground grits offer the best flavor and texture, particularly when compared to grits made with commercial varieties with a more consistent grind.

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.

Depending on the kind of grits you're making, you can replace some of the water with stock or broth (chicken or vegetable) or with dairy such as milk, heavy cream, or buttermilk. Milk adds creaminess and a touch of sweetness—ideal for cheese grits—while cream adds even more richness to grits in a breakfast casserole.

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.

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.

Sweet: Butter, cinnamon, raisins, syrup, brown sugar, peanut butter, jam, or berries. Savory: Cheese, fried eggs, bacon (cooked and chopped), caramelized onion, roasted red peppers, tomatoes, scallions, or herbs.

How do most Southerners eat grits? ›

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.

Most people associate grits with butter but grits are also delicious and creamy when made with olive oil. Depending on who you ask, grits are similar or identical to Italian polenta. Both are made from ground cornmeal slow cooked over a low flame. Here is a recipe that we adapted from the Courier Journal.

Why are grits more popular in the Southern United States than the Northern States? Grits or hominy grits have been a staple in the South for hundreds of years. In the northern states, wheat was a more common crop, so bread was more popular.

Their Antebellum grits are made from heirloom white or yellow corn varieties — and stone-ground.

If grits “firm up” before they soften, slowly add some water or stock or milk. Keeping a pot of hot water or stock simmering on the stove is very helpful. Hot liquid is best but not essential if you are using milk or cream.

You're using too much H2O

This plays a huge role in why grits end up runny. Eyeballing the amount of water can sometimes make for too much or too little. Adding too much water to your grits at once can leave you in trouble when trying to fix it, especially if you don't have any extra ground grits to throw in there.