How to Thicken Grits: 6 Methods for Thickening Grits

Grits are a side dish made out of ground cornmeal that people commonly associate with the Southern United States. Grits do not have a particularly distinctive taste of their own—rather, grits taste most like whatever ingredients you cook with them. For instance, cheddar cheese grits will taste cheesy much more than they will taste like cornmeal. The nutritional profile of grits includes iron, B vitamins, calcium, potassium, and other nutrients.

While all grits come from cornmeal, there are slight variations from one kind to another. Here are four types of grits you might come across:

1. 1. Hominy grits: Producers treat corn grits with a specific kind of alkaline salt to make hominy grits. This removes certain layers of the maize and gives these grits their earthy flavor.
2. 2. Instant grits: Quick-cooking grits also go by the name instant grits. Manufacturers cook the grits before they package and sell them—this expedites the heating process later.
3. 3. Polenta: Hailing from Italy, polenta tastes a bit more like actual corn than many of the other types of grits.
4. 4. Stone-ground grits: With a storied lineage tracing to the Muscogee tribe of the regions now known as Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee, stone-ground corn grits have remained a fixture of Southern cooking in the United States ever since.

To most palates, thick grits are preferable to runny grits. Here are six ways you can improve the consistency of your dish:

1. 1. Add an egg. If your grits aren’t clumping well enough, adding an egg into the mix can go a long way. Pairing it with baking soda will do even more to ensure your grits take on a more viscous consistency and texture.
2. 2. Avoid using high heat. Too much hot water can leave your grits runny. It’s better to cook grits slowly over medium-low heat than to crank up your stovetop, since high heat doesn’t allow grits to bond and thicken as well.
3. 3. Extend the cooking time. Sometimes you just need to extend your cook time to get a watery pot of grits to start coagulating. But increase the total time your grits spend in a pot or pan only if they’re still runny—going beyond that risks overcooking them.
4. 4. Include milk or cream. It should come as no surprise that serving grits at their creamiest often requires supplementing or replacing water with heavy cream, buttermilk, and so on. You can customize your personal creamy grits recipe however you please. Adding unsalted butter can also help bond the ground-up corn together.
5. 5. Strain out moisture. If your grits still seem too runny after a long time cooking, take them out of the pot and place them in a strainer. This will allow at least a little water to escape from the cornmeal itself, and your grits will become thicker and less runny as a result. Still, if you have to resort to this method regularly, it’s probably best to use less water to start.
6. 6. Use appropriate measurements. One cup of grits should pair with four cups of water. Any excess water beyond that is almost guaranteed to prevent the grits from becoming as creamy and thick as possible.

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