In the South, where corn is king, grits are it. A gluten free grainy corn porridge, grits are served with breakfast, lunch, and supper. And they make an excellent side dish for BBQ. Especially cheese grits.
Some purists split hairs and define Southern grits as being made only from white corn hominy, which is dried corn that has been soaked, sometimes with lye, and the fertile centers, the germs, and tough exterior hulls are removed before it is dried again and ground. Some say polenta is only made from yellow corn and it is not as finely ground. And there is a minor difference between corn breeds used in Italy and the US South, and new hybrids come online every year. In the real world, either white or yellow corn, hominy or untreated, can be used to make both polenta or grits, and when you buy a bag labeled grits or polenta, it could be either. The taste diff doesn’t amount to more than a grain of corn and you can use them interchangeably.
In the old days most towns had a water or wind driven grist mill, and people brought their grain for grinding, often paying the miller with part of the finished product. Purists prefer stone ground, and never buy instant grits, which have been processed to speed cooking. Grits contain a small amount of oil so they should be used when fresh or stored in the refrigerator or else they can go rancid.
The recipe was inspired by Bronson “Bron” Smith, a South Carolina Barbecue Association (SCBA) Master Judge and as gracious a Southern Gentleman as was ever bred. When I first visited South Carolina in an effort to taste my way across the state he grabbed his car keys, said “jump in”, and squired me around for days showing me the nooks and crannies and the best eats. One morning we had an especially good batch of grits, and he told me how to make them “the right way” with a secret ingredient that is not on the package instructions or any cookbooks I have seen: Baking soda.
Bron likes his grits best with eggs and country ham, but often tops them with cheese and serves them with barbecue. Click here for Clint Cantwell’s Shrimp & Grits.
10 Commandments of Grits
- Thou shalt use only salt, butter, and cheese as toppings for thy Grits. OK, sometimes shrimp, bacon, and ham are allowed. Try and stop me from using andouille.
- Thou shalt not put sugar on thy Grits.
- Thou shalt not put syrup on thy Grits.
- Thou shalt not put ketchup on thy Grits.
- Thou shalt not put margarine on thy Grits.
- Thou shalt not eat Cream of Wheat and call it Grits, for this is blasphemy.
- Thou shalt not eat instant Grits.
- Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s Grits.
- Thou shalt not eat toast with thy Grits, only biscuits made from scratch.
- Thou shalt eat grits every day.
Grits solve a crime
The following dialogue is from the excellent movie “My Cousin Vinny,” with Joe Pesci playing the role of Vinny Gambini, attourney for the defense.
Vinny: Is it possible the two defendants went into the Sac-O-Suds, picked 22 specific items off of the shelf, had the clerk take the money, make change, then leave. Then two different men drive up…
Tipton: Shakes his head no.
Vinny: Don’t shake your head. I’m not finished yet. Wait until you hear the whole thing you can understand what it is that I’m askin’. [Pause] Then, two different men drive up in a similar looking car, go into the store, shoot the clerk, rob him, then leave?
Tipton: No. They didn’t have enough time.
Vinny: Why not? How long was they in the store for?
Tipton: Five minutes.
Gambini: Five minutes? How do you know? Did you look at your watch?
Tipton: No.
Vinny: Oh, oh, oh, you testified earlier that you saw the boys go into the store, and you had just begun to cook your breakfast and you were just getting ready to eat when you heard the shot.
Tipton: That’s right.
Vinny: So obviously it takes you five minutes to cook your breakfast.
Tipton: That’s right.
Vinny: That’s right, so you knew that. You remember what you had?
Tipton: Eggs and grits.
Vinny: Eggs and grits. I like grits, too. How do you cook your grits? Do you like them regular, creamy or al dente?
Tipton: Just regular I guess.
Vinny: Regular. Instant grits?
Tipton: No self respectin’ Southerner uses instant grits. I take pride in my grits.
Vinny: So, Mr. Tipton, how could it take you 5 minutes to cook your grits when it takes the entire grit eating world 20 minutes?
Tipton: I don’t know, I’m a fast cook I guess.
Vinny: I’m sorry I was all the way over here I couldn’t hear you. Did you say you were a fast cook, that’s it?
Tipton: Yeah.
Vinny: Are we to believe that boiling water soaks into a grit faster in your kitchen than anywhere else on the face of the earth?
Tipton: I don’t know.
Vinny: Well, I guess the laws of physics cease to exist on top of your stove. Were these magic grits? Did you buy them from the same guy who sold Jack his beanstalk beans?
Of course this leads to him cracking the case….
Southern Grits Recipe
Makes:
Takes:
Ingredients
- 2 cups water (or use half stock and half milk)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup grits or polenta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese
- 8 Grilled Shrimp
- 2 ounces cheddar or other melty cheese shredded
These recipes were created in US Customary measurements and the conversion to metric is being done by calculations. They should be accurate, but it is possible there could be an error. If you find one, please let us know in the comments at the bottom of the page
Method
- Boil water. Pour the liquid into a 2 quart (1.9 l) saucepan with high sides and add the baking soda. I know this is a huge pan, but it can foam up with the baking soda so the high sides will keep it from foaming over and spattering. Be careful that you don't use more baking soda than the recipe calls for. Bring to a boil and keep an eye on it.
- Add grits. The moment it boils, pour in the grits slowly so each grain gets "shocked" to prevent clumping. Watch! As soon as it comes to a boil again, turn the temp down to the lowest possible temp and stir down the foam. When it is no longer foaming, put on the lid. Let it sit for 20 minutes, stirring or whisking every 5 minutes or so to keep it from clumping or sticking to the bottom. A wooden or silicone spoon is best for this task so you can get down into the corners of the pan and prevent burning. It should get thick, but not gummy.
- Add the enrichments. Add the butter and stir it in until it melts and is evenly distributed. If you are adding herbs, now's the time. If you are adding cheese, now's the time. Mix it in about 1/3 at a time. If it is too thick, and it probably will be, add an ounce (29.6 ml) of liquid and stir. Add more liquid if necessary. If it is too wet, leave the lid off for a few minutes. When it has thickened but is still a little runny, season it to taste with salt and pepper. Take it off on the runny side. It will thicken by the time you serve it.
- Serve. Remove from heat and ladel into bowls. If you are using other toppings like grilled shrimp, grilled ham, grilled andouille, or bacon, now's the time. Serve with butter, salt, pepper, and cream on the side in case your guests want to doctor it.
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