topic Re: Cooking Grits in Recipes

Cooking Grits

drizzellla — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 03:06:57 GMT

I have never cooked grits.

BUT my husband and son ate Grits and Shrimp in a restaurant and have talked about how good it was ever since.

SO - I am going to give it a try. But I have a question. I had heard someone mention that you cook grits with cream and water. But the recipe I was going to try (Southern Living) says cook the grits with only water.

Could I use half cream and half water?

Re: Cooking Grits

SurferWife — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 03:21:28 GMT

@drizzellla

Oh, honey, YES you may use half cream & half water. My husband cooks them with half-n-half. Use stone ground grits. We prefer the Palmetto brand (we like yellow grits) & order them online.

Re: Cooking Grits

Leggett28 — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 03:25:18 GMT

We don't call it grits, we call it Polenta (same thing) only use water and add butter and Parmesan cheese. So good

Re: Cooking Grits

kate2357 — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 03:25:57 GMT

Yes as @SurferWife wrote, you can make grits with half and half, with cream, with water, etc. I saw this quote below from Southern Living. The title was called This Trick Will Make Your Grits So Much Better

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. "Cooking grits in all milk or chicken stock imparts too much of those flavors into the grits."

Re: Cooking Grits

drizzellla — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 03:30:39 GMT

@SurferWife wrote:
@drizzellla
Oh, honey, YES you may use half cream & half water. My husband cooks them with half-n-half. Use stone ground grits. We prefer the Palmetto brand (we like yellow grits) & order them online.

I already bought the grits. I live in Pennsylvania so the only grits the grocery store had was by Quaker Oats. I bought "Old Fashioned". I knew not to buy "Instant". But pickings were slim.

I will look for Palmetto. We are going to Georgia and South Carolina. So I will put grits on my grocery list.

Re: Cooking Grits

drizzellla — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 03:33:26 GMT

@Leggett28 wrote:
We don't call it grits, we call it Polenta (same thing) only use water and add butter and Parmesan cheese. So good

That is so interesting. Polenta is easy to find. We have bought Polenta several times. My son saw it on cooking shows. So that is why we bought it.

Re: Cooking Grits

ninjawife — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 04:06:16 GMT

@Leggett28 Grits and polenta are not the exact same product. Polenta tends to be more refined than grits.

Re: Cooking Grits

deepwaterdotter — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 04:15:09 GMT

I like the Bob's Red Mill corn grits. I make mine with butter, whole milk, and water.

Re: Cooking Grits

drizzellla — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 04:51:36 GMT

@deepwaterdotter wrote:
I like the Bob's Red Mill corn grits. I make mine with butter, whole milk, and water.

The grocery store had Bob's Red Mill but the store only had oatmeal. No Bob's Red Mill Grits.

The recipe calls for cooking the shrimp in butter and with bacon.

I have no idea what I am doing. So I am following the receipe to a T - except I am adding some cream to the water.

Re: Cooking Grits

Sooner — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 04:52:41 GMT

@SurferWife wrote:
@drizzellla
Oh, honey, YES you may use half cream & half water. My husband cooks them with half-n-half. Use stone ground grits. We prefer the Palmetto brand (we like yellow grits) & order them online.

@SurferWife Check out Marsh Hill Mill in Edisto SC too!

Re: Cooking Grits

beach-mom — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 06:53:21 GMT

@drizzellla - I grew up in Georgia, and my dad had them for breakfast every day! I didn't have them that much, but I do love them. My family doesn't get it. I like them plain with a pat of butter - well actually a pat of Smart Balance LOL!

Here are my two favorite ways to make them so my family will eat them:

Shrimp and Grits

3 Tbsp. butter or margarine

4 c. chicken broth

1 c. quick cooking grits

1-1/2 grated Jarlsberg (or Swiss) cheese

3/4 c. finely chopped scallions

1 clove minced garlic

1 - 1/2 lbs. medium peeled shrimp

1/2 c. dry white wine

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Butter a 9 x 13 dish. In saucepan, bring chicken broth to boil and add grits. Cook 5-7 minutes, until thick but pourable. Stir in 1 c. cheese. Remove from heat, pour into dish, and set aside.

In a large skillet melt 3 Tbsp. butter or margarine. Saute scallions and garlic for about 2 minutes. Add the shrimp, and cook for about 4 minutes. Leave the shrimp slightly undercooked. Transfer the shrimp to a plate. In the same skillet cook the wine until it reduces by half, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 c. cheese, and stir until the cheese melts, about 2-3 minutes.

Spoon the shrimp over the grits in the prepared dish and drizzle with the cheese sauce. Bake uncovered 5-10 minutes, just until the top starts to brown and the cheese bubbles. Serve warm, cut into wedges or slices.

(Adapted from Cooking up a Storm - a collection of recipes found after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans)

*****************************************************************************************

This one I'm always asked to bring places. There are no shrimp, but it's good!

Baked Cheese Grits by Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients:

1 cup grated Gruyere

1/3 cup grated Parmesan

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter

4 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup quick grits (not instant)

1 egg

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 2-quart casserole with 2 tablespoons of butter.

Combine remaining 1/4 cup butter, water, and salt in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. When mixture comes to a simmer, add the grits, stirring until thoroughly combined. Continue to cook the grits at a simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile whisk together egg, cream and pepper. Stir into cooked grits along with cheese. Pour mixture into prepared casserole. Bake until set, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand about 5 minutes before serving.

(IMO the Gruyere just makes it perfect!)

Re: Cooking Grits

house_cat — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 11:09:27 GMT

@beach-mom

Thank you. I'll be saving those recipes.

Re: Cooking Grits

drizzellla — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 13:46:48 GMT

@beach-mom

Thank you for the recipes.

In the back of my head, I keep thinking how much they liked the shrimp and grits meal they had at the restaurant. I don't want to make a meal that they won't like. So I want a tried and true recipe.

Besides I want to try shrimp and grits for the first time too.

Re: Cooking Grits

HLP — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 14:22:22 GMT

@drizzellla wrote:
I have never cooked grits.

BUT my husband and son ate Grits and Shrimp in a restaurant and have talked about how good it was ever since.

SO - I am going to give it a try. But I have a question. I had heard someone mention that you cook grits with cream and water. But the recipe I was going to try (Southern Living) says cook the grits with only water.

Could I use half cream and half water?

I buy instant grits individually packaged, and use water, microwave, and then add your goodies. i add a chunk of cheese and salt, and good to go.

Re: Cooking Grits

Zhills — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 14:30:39 GMT

For a real treat (especially with Shrimp and Grits) cook the grits in chicken broth. Yum!

Re: Cooking Grits

Renata22 — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 21:47:52 GMT

I'm from the south and have been cooking grits for a long time. I have tried several different ways and just come back to the simple way of cooking in water and adding whatever you want after they are cooked. Hope you and your family love whichever recipe you decide on. Have fun!

Re: Cooking Grits

Zhills — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 01:49:29 GMT

Shrimp and grits has as many varieties as there are places that serve the dish!

Find a recipe with ingredients you like and enjoy!

Check out the Cajun Shrimp & Grits is you like spicy.

Re: Cooking Grits

Sooner — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 16:03:28 GMT

@Zhills @drizzellla

I like the Maverick Grits recipe a lot! We used to eat at Slightly North of Broad in Charleston often but I think it is closed now. I also like to add sliced bell pepper (red or red and green) to this--and have had it that way at the restaurant, and with sliced onion cooked in as well.

Basic Grits Ingredients:

4 c water
½ tsp. Salt
1 Tbs. Butter
1-1 ½ cups stone ground grits
¼ Cup cream

Topping Ingredients:

1 tsp. butter
4 oz. (4 Tbs.) country ham, julienne
4 oz. Smoked pork sausage cut in circles (can be andouille or other spicy sausage if you prefer)
12 shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 Tbs. Fresh tomato, seeded and diced
4 Tbs. green onion
1/8 tsp. Minced fresh garlic
Pinch of Cajun spice
1/4c of chicken stock or water
1 Tbs. of butter

DIRECTIONS

Basic Grits Directions:

Bring water, salt, and 1 Tbs. Butter to a boil. Stir in grits. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until grits are thick and creamy. Approx. 40 min. Remove from heat and finish by stirring in cream and remaining butter. Keep warm.

Topping Directions:

Sauté ham and sausage in 1 tsp. Butter. Add shrimp, garlic and Cajun spice. Sauté 30 seconds. Add green onion and tomato. Add water. Finish with remaining butter. Cook until shrimp are plump and pink.

To Assemble:

Serves two people. Spoon grits onto plates in equal portions. Place 6 shrimp per person on grits and spoon equal parts of topping.

Re: Cooking Grits

Zhills — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 16:14:21 GMT

My Shrimp & Grits

Shrimp and Grits

Prepare all ingredients before beginning recipe. It moves quickly and you won’t have time to measure, chop and slice once the cooking starts. Start with the shrimp!

Shrimp:

1 1/2 pounds (26-30 count) Shrimp
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (I like Paul Prudomme)
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper to taste (may not need if you like mild)

Grits:

3 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup quick grits (recommended: Quaker)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream (canned milk)
3 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar
Add extra chicken broth to keep creamy

Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter (or grease from sausage)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce ??
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce Omit if you don’t like hot
1 link sausage. Cut about as many pieces (1/8 inch) as you have shrimp

Directions:

First, peel and devein the shrimp.

In a small bowl, combine Cajun seasoning, paprika, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the shrimp to coat well and set the shrimp aside.

Next, make your grits. In a medium saucepan, bring chicken broth and 2 tablespoons butter to a boil. Slowly add the grits, whisking often with wire whisk for 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, cream, and cheese. Keep whisking for another 2 or 3 minutes until the grits become creamy.

Now saute the shrimp. Cook sausage in a large sauté pan until done. Add minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add in the spice-coated shrimp, and cook (in a single layer) only until they're just done and tender. Don't overcook; they are done when they curl on the edges.

Remove the shrimp from the saute pan and set them aside in a bowl.

The roux is next. With all those wonderful drippings from the shrimp in the saute pan, adjust grease to 3 Tablespoons. Add 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and stir with a wooden spatula to make a roux. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until roux reaches a medium-tan color, then slowly add the chicken broth and heavy cream. Whisk together and cook for 2 minutes, then whisk in Worcestershire sauce.

Add the cooked sausage and shrimp. Take off heat .

To serve, and this is the best part-place a few heaping spoonfuls of steaming cheese grits onto a plate, top with several sizzling shrimp in that wonderful roux sauce over top. Enjoy!

Re: Cooking Grits

Carolina925 — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 16:28:15 GMT

@Sooner , we have grits galore in our stores down here but my preference is Marsh Hen Mill grits from Edisto. I like they're local, farmers, and sell great products.

You can add milk, cream, etc., to make them creamier but it's not necessary. I think the trick is to cook them 1/2 an hour longer than the package recommends. Instant grits aren't edible, imo.