How to Enjoy Grits

What are grits? This venerable southern breakfast dish is misunderstood and maligned in other parts of the country, but is a warm and filling staple in many southern homes. Grits are simply broken grains of corn that have been ground and dried. Maybe it’s the name that gives grits its, well, bad name. Perhaps we should call it by the name it’s known in most of the world – Polenta. Many people who have only tried grits in a roadside diner complain that it’s just tasteless mush. But so is pasta if it’s cooked incorrectly. The fact is that every culture in the world has its own warm, cheap, peasant food – whether it’s pasta, rice, oats, or cream of wheat. In the south, corn is king, and the breakfast of champions is… grits.

Recipe

When buying grits, get regular grits, not quick cooking, and certainly not the instant variety. It only takes 20 minutes to prepare them properly. When determining portions, remember that during cooking grits quadruple in volume. This recipe is very rich and is to grits what risotto is to rice, so figure no more than 1 cup per serving as a side dish. It uses chicken broth instead of water which adds a rich flavor as well as more nutrients.

In a 3 quart saucepan, combine 2 cans of chicken broth, 1 cup regular grits, and 1 Tbl butter.

Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium. Watch the pot and stir frequently to prevent sticking. When the grits reach a thick, creamy texture (about 20 minutes), add more butter to taste, a little salt, and a lot of fresh cracked black pepper.

The recipe can be modified by substituting cream or milk for some of the broth or by adding cheese when it is almost done. This makes a delicious, filling, hot breakfast or snack at very little cost in about 20 minutes.

Next time you are thinking of something different for breakfast, think grits.