Cheese Grits Recipe: Tips for Making Cheese Grits

Grits are a type of porridge made from ground, dried corn cooked slowly in simmering salted water. Traditionally, dent corn—a variety with a dent in the top of the kernel—was the star ingredient of this classic Southern dish because its relative softness makes it easy to grind.

Modern recipes feature an array of corn options: You can make the dish with hominy, stone-ground dried corn kernels, or instant grits made from pre-cooked and dehydrated corn. Adding cheese to the grits is a common way of serving this savory porridge. Once cooked, incorporate seasonings and add-ins, such as sausage, bacon, herbs, or spices.

There are a variety of ways you’ll find grits sold at supermarkets.

1. 1. Hominy grits: Hominy grits are also stone-ground but made with hominy, a starchier variety of dried corn, soaked in a lye or limestone solution, which gives them a unique flavor.
2. 2. Instant grits: Instant grits are precooked, dehydrated grits. You can cook these grits in just a few minutes, and they have a milder flavor than stone-ground or quick-cooking grits.
3. 3. Quick grits: Quick grits, or regular grits, are more finely and evenly milled and cook faster than stone-milled varieties.
4. 4. Stone-ground grits: Stone-ground grits have a texture that varies in coarseness due to the stone milling process.

The main difference between polenta and grits is the type of corn they feature. Grits come from soft dent corn, which can be white, blue, red, or yellow in hue. Dent corn has a high starch content, resulting in a creamy consistency once cooked. Conversely, polenta uses coarse- or medium-ground flint corn, a harder corn variety that provides a toothsome texture.

Both grits and polenta are technically types of cornmeal, or ground corn. However, the type of cornmeal that grocery stores sell typically gets milled to a finer texture, ideal for baking cornbread and cakes.

Cheese grits are a common side dish in Southern cooking. They complement a variety of dishes, including:

• Poached or fried eggs: If you’re looking for a comforting breakfast recipe, serving a few poached or fried eggs over a bowl of cheese grits will satisfy most appetites.
• Fried catfish: A classic comfort food, crispy cornmeal-crusted catfish and creamy grits make for a delicious mixture of textures and flavors. Try Chef Mashama Bailey’s fish and grits recipe.
• Stewed greens: You’ll often find a side dish of stewed collard greens alongside grits, usually featuring pieces of smoked ham hock or turkey. A few pinches of garlic powder and paprika stirred into cheesy grits work well with this pairing. For a unique flavor, try Chef Mashama Bailey's smoked collard greens.
• Smoked pork: You’ll often see grits served as a side at restaurants that serve traditional barbeque fare like smoked pork butt and pork sausages.
• Sautéed shrimp: Shrimp and grits is ubiquitous in the American South, especially near the coast. Try pairing easy sautéed garlic shrimp with creamy cheese grits.

Here’s how to make the creamiest cheesy corn grits at home.

1. 1. Salt the water generously. Stone-ground grits can be coarse and will better absorb salt while slow-cooking instead of seasoning them at the end of cooking. Use salted chicken broth or stock instead of water for an extra savory flavor.
2. 2. Whisk the grits frequently. Stirring activates the starch in the grits, which produces a luxurious creaminess. (Stirring also prevents your grits from scorching.) Use a whisk to ensure smooth, not lumpy, grits.
3. 3. Use room temperature butter and milk. Adding cold ingredients to the hot grits will cause them to seize up. It’s best to pull butter and milk from the refrigerator and let them temper while the grits cook.
4. 4. Add the dairy last. The protein in dairy products can curdle if boiled, preventing the starch from thickening as the grits cook. Cook your grits until they are tender, then finish them with cheese and butter for the creamiest result.
5. 5. Fry the leftovers. Chill leftover grits and slice them into slabs, then pan-fry them for a crispy snack.