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.

4 cups of liquid for every cup of grits. This can be 4 cups of water (eww) or 3 cups of broth 1 cup of heavy cream. It can even be just 4 cups of broth it really all depends on how you like to make your grits. I substitute the heavy cream for cream cheese but it still does the same thing!

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.

The question of the addition of sugar, for me at least, starts with the quality of the grits. With artisanal, stone-ground grits, I stick to butter, salt and maybe a few cracks of pepper as to not mask the delicious corn flavor.

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.

Add butter, salt, and pepper.

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!

Similar to the rice in tamago kake gohan, the hot grits gently “cook” the egg, turning the slippery white and runny yolk into a creamy, emulsifying sauce.

Bring the milk to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat, stir so it doesn't scorch. Whisk in grits, salt and pepper into the milk and cook, stirring rapidly, for 4 minutes or until the grits thicken.

Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook, whisking and scraping bottom well every 2 to 3 minutes, until you reach your desired consistency: runny with some remaining gritty texture, about 30 minutes; thick and creamy but flowing, about 45 minutes; or stiff and able to hold its shape while barely flowing, about 1 hour.

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.

Do you cover grits while cooking? ›

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.

To Make 4 Servings:

1 Cup Grits. 4 Cups Water. 1/4 Tsp Salt (optional)

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.

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.

They provide carbohydrates, fiber, and several important vitamins and minerals. Grits are also naturally gluten-free and low in fat and sodium. Grits can be eaten at any meal and they are especially nutritious when paired with vegetables, fruits, unsaturated fats, and lean protein sources.

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.