Serves 6
If you haven’t tried slowly simmered grits, liberally laced with Cheddar cheese, you’re in for a treat. Although instant and quick-cooking grits are easier to find, coarse-ground grits produce an incomparably toothy yet creamy texture and satisfying taste. Given a choice, white grits are preferable to yellow, because they are less starchy, but both are delicious.
Like hominy, grits are a Native American corn product. The dried and processed corn kernels are coarsely ground on a stone mill. In the South, devotees enjoy them at every meal from breakfast straight through dinner and dessert. I’ve found cooking times for grits from different suppliers can vary from under an hour to 2 hours. Stir the pot frequently, especially the bottom, with a flexible scraper and wait until after you’ve added the cheese to add salt.
INGREDIENTS
2+ cups vegetable stock
2 cups whole milk
1 cup coarse stone-ground grits, preferably white
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp white Cheddar cheese
Salt
Tabasco or other hot sauce (optional)
Combine 2 cups of stock and the milk in a 10-inch cast-iron Dutch oven and bring a boil. Add the grits, stirring continuously until blended and smooth. Turn the heat down to low and simmer according to the package directions until the grits are tender, about 1 hour (some brands can take up to 2 hours), stirring frequently with a flexible scraper to prevent the grits from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
If the mixture gets thick and starts to dry out, stir in more liquid—water or stock by ¼-cupfuls—until smooth. Once the grits are done, stir in the butter and cheese and cook until melted. Season to taste with salt and Tabasco sauce, if desired, before serving.