With options for stone-ground grits or quick grits, this might just be the only grits recipe you'll ever need.
Prep: 10 minutesminutes
Cook: 30 minutesminutes
Total: 40 minutesminutes
Yield:4servings
Equipment
Large saucepan with lid
Large wooden spoon or silicone spatula
Ingredients
4cupswater
1cupgritsstone-ground OR quick grits
½teaspoonsalt
4tablespoonsunsalted butter
½cuphalf and halfor heavy cream or milk, divided
1 ½cupsshredded cheese
Instructions
For Quick Grits
Bring water to brisk boil in large saucepan, then slowly stir in grits and salt.
Reduce heat to medium-low and cover saucepan with lid. Stirring occasionally, cook approximately 5 minutes, or until thickened.
Remove lid. Stir in butter and ¼ cup of half and half. Continue stirring, adding remaining half & half in one tablespoon increments. Stir until mixture thickens and begins to sputter slightly. This should happen quickly, about the same time you finish stirring in cream.
Taste grits and add more salt, if desired. Stir in shredded cheese until melted and smooth. Top with additional shredded cheese (optional) and serve hot.
For Stone-Ground Grits (Recommended)
Bring 4 cups salted water and 1 tablespoon butter to boil in large saucepan.
Slowly add in stone-ground grits. Stir constantly to avoid lumps.
Add ½ teaspoon salt and partially cover saucepan with lid. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low. Simmer mixture approximately 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Note: grits should simmer, bubbling slightly but not violently. My stove runs hot so I usually simmer on medium-low.
Remove lid and stir in remaining butter and ¼ cup of half and half. Continue stirring, adding remaining half and half in 1 tablespoon increments, until mixture thickens and begins to sputter slightly, approximately 15 minutes.
Taste grits and add more salt, if desired. Stir in shredded cheese until melted and smooth. Top with additional shredded cheese (optional) and serve hot.
Notes
Don't walk away from the stove! It's important to continually stir the grits, to prevent them from stick to the sides of the saucepan.
To keep the half and half or cream from curdling, and the cheese from clumping, make sure both ingredients are close to room temperature before adding them to the grits. Remove the saucepan from the heat when you add them, and add them in slowly.