A true grits recipe comes from Southern origins. The ground grits produced are slowly cooked to your liking, making this recipe a clear winner. Learn how to use grits ingredients the right way, like how much butter, cheese, or cream to use. Let us know what you think about the recipe below!

The official breakfast of the South, grits are a mainstay of the region’s breakfast menus and often pair nicely with eggs, sausage, and biscuits. One possible reason for this is the prevalence of bacon in the South, which helps sweeten the brew while keeping breakfast more light and fluffy. This widespread popularity may have something to do with grits’ origins as a breakfast food.

What Are Grits?

Grits became popular in New England during the Great Depression when cheap, and nutritious food like these became even more valued than ever. The resulting demand for grits as the main meal in American households led to the development of commercial grits. Since the 1930s, much of the grits sold were advertised as “instant” and “ready to eat.” Now, grits are mostly sold in this fashion across the US. Usually, these instant grits packets contain sugar, salt, and pepper. 

What To Put On Grits

From sea salt and butter to milk and coconut oil, there are tons of choices for topping grits. You can even include bacon bits and cheese. If you are preparing the dish from scratch, you’ll want to consider adding a touch of milk, butter, and flour (which gets mixed into the grits after they are cooked). For the mashed potatoes version, mix in your favorite potatoes with a dash of salt and butter before you cook.

What Are The Health Benefits Of Grits?

Though the grits are initially bland, the flavor of the cooked dish transforms when we add butter, milk, and cheese. Adding dairy will add a rich, creamy flavor to the dish and make it healthier for your body. Of course, while this is true of all dairy, it’s especially true of a creamy dairy like butter or cheese.

How Do You Make Paula Deen Grits?

To make Paula Deen’s recipe, you’ll first make a roux to cook some butter and flour in a pan. Then, add the eggs, milk, and seasoning to the roux and whisk well until smooth. Then add the cooked grits and whisk until creamy. The process can be rapid, which is why Deen likes to make them the day before the meal. She also puts a little maple syrup on top of the grits for extra flavor. If you don’t have grits on hand, there are plenty of grit-free varieties of the dish out there. Here are five that you should try. These local grits are right around the corner from me in Somerville. For a restaurant version, try Comida, located in a former post office on Lowell Street.

The Difference Between Grits and Cornmeal

We’ve all heard that cornmeal and grits are essentially the same things, but they’re distinct. Grits, or grits made from corn, are a variation of hominy and derive their texture from the various components of the dried corn kernels. Cornmeal, on the other hand, is ground cornmeal and is an entirely different food.