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.

4 cups of liquid for every cup of grits. This can be 4 cups of water (eww) or 3 cups of broth 1 cup of heavy cream. It can even be just 4 cups of broth it really all depends on how you like to make your grits. I substitute the heavy cream for cream cheese but it still does the same thing!

Make them creamier by cooking longer. Some folks add milk to the water and say that helps as well. The issue with using milk is scorching. Frequent whisking or stirring is essential with all types of grits.

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.

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.

More hacks for creamy and flavorful grits

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.

Cream is very fatty and can over-thicken grits when too much is added. Use mostly water and add a small amount of cream, such as the 1/4 to 1/2 cup recommended by our test kitchen. If you want a stronger dairy flavor, you can use a mixture of half milk and half water along with the cream.

Sweet grits: After cooking grits, feel free to top them like you would oatmeal. A little brown sugar, dried fruit, shredded apple, maple syrup, honey, milk, cinnamon, and/or other sweet breakfast stir-ins work wonderfully. Cheesy grits: Any cheese can dress up grits.

First, you should make sure that the grits are, in fact, too runny. If you've never cooked grits before, you may not realize that, like polenta, they tend to set up once you take them off the stove, especially if you've added a lot of butter. Another option is to recook the grits.

Cook the grits until thickened and the grains are tender with just a touch of a bite, similar to a grain of rice, about 10-15 minutes. If the grits thicken too quickly, but the grains are still hard or chewy, whisk in another 1/4 C of warm water to the pot and continue cooking until they're like you want them.

Does cooking grits longer make them thicker? ›

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.

Cooking Instructions

Press grits into bottom and up sides of 2 cup capacity ovenproof ramekins or baking dishes sprayed with nonstick spray. Make indentation in center of grits. Break egg into indentation. Bake 15 minutes or until egg is desired doneness.

Health Benefits of Grits

Grits are a good source of complex carbohydrates, providing energy to your body. They are also a good source of fiber, which can help to regulate digestion and promote a healthy gut. Grits are low in fat and cholesterol, making them heart-healthy food choices.

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.

Quick and regular grits: The only difference between these types is in granulation. Quick grits are ground fine and cook in 5 minutes; regular grits are medium grind and cook in 10 minutes. Instant grits: These fine-textured grits have been precooked and dehydrated. To prepare them, simply add boiling water.