The Best Thick and Creamy Grits Recipe - caramel and cashews (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to great grits? ›

The key to cooking old-fashioned grits is going low and slow—use a low heat so the grits simmer and slowly release their starches, which creates a decadent, silky texture. Whisking constantly during the first couple of minutes, and frequently throughout the rest of the cooking process, will prevent lumps from forming.

Deciding when your grits are done is a personal choice, and will determine your total cooking time. Some people like their grits more on the runny side with a little gritty texture still remaining, others want them creamy and thick but flowing, and some want them so stiff they're able to hold their shape when dolloped.

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.

Bring the milk to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat, stir so it doesn't scorch. Whisk in grits, salt and pepper into the milk and cook, stirring rapidly, for 4 minutes or until the grits thicken.

Even if you buy 5-minute grits, don't cook your grits for only five minutes. Part of what makes the grits all creamy is the time they get to soak in the water.

Cook with water; finish with dairy.

The taste of grits finished with cream is divine, and you get to avoid the cooked-milk flavor of other methods.

It doesn't taste like egg, not really, but it makes the grits taste richer, with a more cohesive, rib-sticking texture. It's also an easy way to sneak a little more protein in there—six grams per egg—and I've found it amplifies the cheesiness of cheese grits, without adding any extra dairy.

Grits are kinda bland in their natural state. Butter, salt, and pepper wakes them up and bring out that wonderful light corn flavor. Adding cheddar cheese, hot sauce, bacon bits, garlic, and other spices is also great!

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.

The small bits won't suffer from a longer simmer. See, grits won't get mushy like grains—they'll just get creamier. So just do what you did. Keep the party going on low heat and keep on whisking.

Do you cover grits while cooking? ›

Cook grits uncovered at a low-medium temp until they soften. If grits “firm up” before they soften, slowly add some water or stock or milk. Keeping a pot of hot water or stock simmering on the stove is very helpful. Hot liquid is best but not essential if you are using milk or cream.

Baking soda breaks through the structure of the grains of corn, encouraging gelatinization of the grits' starches so that they absorb liquid, thicken up, and get creamy in no time.

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.

Most people associate grits with butter but grits are also delicious and creamy when made with olive oil. Depending on who you ask, grits are similar or identical to Italian polenta. Both are made from ground cornmeal slow cooked over a low flame. Here is a recipe that we adapted from the Courier Journal.

You can also try straining the mixture. Placing a paper coffee filter in a mesh strainer and pouring the grits through can help get rid of excess water. This process can be messy, though, so remember to be careful when handling hot grits.

You're using too much H2O. According to Quaker, the perfect ratio of water to grits is 2 cups water for every ½ cup grits. When whipping up this creamy classic, oftentimes we as humans like to skip steps to get it done quicker — especially if we're extra hungry. This plays a huge role in why grits end up runny.

The first thing to know is this: cornstarch is not your friend in this scenario. Foods Guy notes that cornstarch doesn't actually thicken grits but instead highlights and intensifies the bland, starchy flavor. Overpowering the earthy corn aura is not what you want, so consider several other thickening options.