The Best Southern Cheese Grits Recipe In Georgia - The Domestic Diva (2024)

FAQs

How are grits served in the South? ›

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).

Creamy, cheesy piping-hot grits topped with spicy sausage – I don't think it gets much better than that on a cold day. Breakfast, lunch or dinner – this dish is perfect anytime! Aside from lots of delicious cheese, these grits get their extra creaminess by cooking them in milk.

Toppings for Grits

Whether you like a sweet start to the day or something more hearty tasting, these grits can be topped with a wide range of ingredients. Sweet: Butter, cinnamon, raisins, syrup, brown sugar, peanut butter, jam, or berries.

Before turning on the stove, artisan grain producer Anson Mills recommends soaking the grits overnight for a “superior” texture. This step also reduces the cooking time by about 50 percent, which can take from about 20 minutes to 1 hour or more, depending on the type of grits and desired consistency.

For 1 serving: Combine 1-1/3 cups water and 1/8 tsp. salt with 1/3 cup Dixie Lily Grits in a 1-quart bowl. Microwave at HIGH 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let stand until desired consistency.

Easily achieve the perfect creamy texture and save yourself some serious time in the kitchen by utilizing the little-known tip of adding baking soda to the pot. Just a pinch added early in the cooking process helps the grits to thicken up and can cut the needed cooking time in half.

One of the waitresses was a Southern lady with a very feisty attitude. Whenever somebody pissed her off she would say: “Kiss my grits!” Which would be a polite way (because Southern people are always very polite) of telling them to kiss her butt.

The state of Georgia declared grits to be its official prepared food in 2002. A similar bill was introduced in South Carolina to name it the official state food, but it did not advance.

It`s a tradition. ”Northerners don`t like grits because they expect them to have a lot of taste,” says Carl Allen, owner of Allen`s Historical Cafe in Auburndale, Fla. ”And as anyone who has eaten them knows, grits don`t have much taste. They`re just kind of blah, very bland tasting.”

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.

What do grits do to your body? ›

Grits, especially in their whole-grain form, hold on to many of these helpful plant compounds, even when you boil them. Grits, as whole grains or enriched varieties, also contain folate, which helps prevent birth defects and may also lower your risk of heart disease and cancer.

Conclusion. Adding grits to your dietary plans is a great move. They are a versatile food option that's packed with iron, B vitamins, antioxidants, and several other nutrients. As with all other foods though, be mindful of the possible downsides like nutrient loss during production and a high carb count.

How do you make grits taste better? Depending on the grits you're making, you can replace some of the water with stock or broth (chicken or vegetable), milk, heavy cream, or buttermilk. Dairy adds richness and a touch of sweetness—ideal for cheese grits or grits in a breakfast casserole.

Southern Living Test Kitchen Director Robby Melvin prefers to cook grits in a mixture of water and heavy cream. "I use mostly water with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of cream. The water does the trick to tenderize the grits, and the cream adds an obvious richness and creaminess to the finished product," he says.