The Best Thick and Creamy Grits Recipe - caramel and cashews (2024)

FAQs

Do grits taste better with water or milk? ›

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.

You're gonna add one cup and bring the heat to low. Allow it to thicken, then add an extra cup of heavy cream, half a stick of butter, and some cheddar cheese. Let it stir non stop for 20 minutes, and then you'll have the best creamy grits. Try this and thank me later.

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.

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!

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.

Serving Southern Grits

We always add cheese to our grits — either Parmesan or sharp cheddar. But you can certainly skip the cheese altogether; some people prefer theirs without. We often eat these grits as-is for breakfast (or topped with a fried egg or crumbled sausage).

The proportions for cooking grits that almost always gives you perfect stone-ground grits is 4 parts liquid to 1 part dry grits. Be sure to put about 1 teaspoon of salt per dry cup of grits in the mixture when you start. This proportion will work whether it is on the stovetop or the crock pot or whatever.

Even if you buy 5-minute grits, don't cook your grits for only five minutes. Part of what makes the grits all creamy is the time they get to soak in the water. Making them softer and allowing them to merge together to form all the creamy goodness. I repeat creamy grits are not made in five minutes.

Similarly, raw eggs mix with the released starches of the corn in the grits to create a thicker, creamier consistency. However, unlike pasta carbonara, there's no tempering or finesse involved in incorporating a raw egg into a hot pot of grits.

Martha White Grits

Made from white corn, Jim Dandy Quick Grits cook up hot and creamy in just five minutes. Share the goodness of Jim Dandy Quick Grits with your family – not only for breakfast, but also in delicious side dishes and casseroles.

What does adding an egg to grits do? ›

More hacks for creamy and flavorful grits

A cracked egg is the simplest way to instill rich texture and flavor into grits without having to swap a portion of the cooking liquid for heavy cream. You could even forgo the standard addition of butter by adding an extra egg yolk to the pot.

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.

I'm using the old fashioned grits. You're gonna add one cup and bring the heat to low. Allow it to thicken, then add an extra cup of heavy cream, half a stick of butter, and some cheddar cheese. Let it stir non stop for 20 minutes, and then you'll have the best creamy grits.

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.

In a separate pan, heat 2 cups of water and add a scoop to the grits each time you stir the pot – about every 10 minutes or so. You want those gritty bits to have plenty of water to “swim” in and absorb as they cook.

They can be served sweet or savory, for breakfast or as part of an elegant dinner. When it comes to eating grits as the first meal of the day, some people choose to make them hearty by adding eggs and cheese, while others like to add butter, syrup, nuts, and/or jam for a sweet dish.

Since grits are made from corn, they taste like corn, plus whatever you cook them with, which can make them sweet, salty, spicy, or bland. Stone-ground grits (because they keep the whole grain intact) may be more flavorful than more processed varieties.

They can be eaten like porridge for breakfast or to accompany bacon and eggs, for lunch as part of a bowl with beans or leftover roast veggies, or for dinner as a side dish or main. Grits can also be used to make other staples, such as waffles or grit cakes.