topic Re: Baked Cheesy Grits in Recipes

Baked Cheesy Grits

beach-mom — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 19:16:53 GMT

My friend from South Carolina gave me this recipe. It's from Emeril Lagasse. I'm often asked to make it, for potlucks and brunches. My family, who are not fans of grits, love this casserole!

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 cups water

1 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick grits (not instant)
1 large egg
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2-qt. casserole with 2 Tbsp. butter.

Combine the remaining 1/4 cup butter, water, and salt in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. When the 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 the egg, cream, and black pepper. Stir into the cooked grits along with the cheeses. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole and smooth the top. Bake until set, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand about 5 minutes before serving.

Re: Baked Cheesy Grits

Tori3569 — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 19:18:07 GMT

Thank you @beach-mom ! I've lived in NYC my whole life, but I love cheese grits. I'm going to make this on Saturday!

Re: Baked Cheesy Grits

SurferWife — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 19:22:39 GMT

Stone Ground grits only!

Re: Baked Cheesy Grits

beach-mom — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 19:23:53 GMT

YW @Tori3569 ! I hope you like it!

You are lucky to live in NYC. I have been there a few times. One of my best friends from college lived in Staten Island. I visited her there a few times. The first thing we did after I got there was go to Nathan's. Of course I'd never heard of it. Best hotdog ever!

Re: Baked Cheesy Grits

Tori3569 — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 19:29:34 GMT

@beach-mom wrote:
YW @Tori3569 ! I hope you like it!

You are lucky to live in NYC. I have been there a few times. One of my best friends from college lived in Staten Island. I visited her there a few times. The first thing we did after I got there was go to Nathan's. Of course I'd never heard of it. Best hotdog ever!

Aww, I'm glad you had a good time. I believe you live in CA. If so, I go to San Diego at least once a year to visit my nephew and his family. He was from here, but met his wonderful wife and moved to her hometown. It's so beautiful there. I've been to most of the large cities in California at some point for work reasons. Very different from here but all very beautiful places.

Re: Baked Cheesy Grits

beach-mom — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 19:35:21 GMT

@Tori3569 wrote:
@beach-mom wrote:
YW @Tori3569 ! I hope you like it!

You are lucky to live in NYC. I have been there a few times. One of my best friends from college lived in Staten Island. I visited her there a few times. The first thing we did after I got there was go to Nathan's. Of course I'd never heard of it. Best hotdog ever!

Aww, I'm glad you had a good time. I believe you live in CA. If so, I go to San Diego at least once a year to visit my nephew and his family. He was from here, but met his wonderful wife and moved to her hometown. It's so beautiful there. I've been to most of the large cities in California at some point for work reasons. Very different from here but all very beautiful places.

@Tori3569 - I'm on the opposite coast! I grew up near the ocean and on the Chesapeake Bay. We still live near water. I told DH, who grew up on a dairy farm, he could not take me away from it!

Re: Baked Cheesy Grits

Tori3569 — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 20:08:33 GMT

@beach-mom wrote:
@Tori3569 wrote:
@beach-mom wrote:
YW @Tori3569 ! I hope you like it!

You are lucky to live in NYC. I have been there a few times. One of my best friends from college lived in Staten Island. I visited her there a few times. The first thing we did after I got there was go to Nathan's. Of course I'd never heard of it. Best hotdog ever!

Aww, I'm glad you had a good time. I believe you live in CA. If so, I go to San Diego at least once a year to visit my nephew and his family. He was from here, but met his wonderful wife and moved to her hometown. It's so beautiful there. I've been to most of the large cities in California at some point for work reasons. Very different from here but all very beautiful places.

@Tori3569 - I'm on the opposite coast! I grew up near the ocean and on the Chesapeake Bay. We still live near water. I told DH, who grew up on a dairy farm, he could not take me away from it!

Lol! I don't know why I thought you lived in California. So you're much closer--come back and visit anytime! 🩷

Re: Baked Cheesy Grits

rockygems123 — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 20:21:27 GMT

@beach-mom @Tori3569 @SurferWife

For those that have had grits is it similar to polenta?

That's what we had growing up in SF as there was a large Italian population.

Thinking maybe grits aren't as firm as polenta?

Re: Baked Cheesy Grits

SurferWife — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 20:41:52 GMT

@rockygems123

I thought I would give you the kitchen textbook difference rather than put it in my own words, so here goes.

Polenta vs. Grits

While they're both stone-ground cornmeal, there's plenty that separates them. For starters, they're derived from different varieties of corn that are milled to different consistencies and different textures.

Polenta comes from flint corn, which is courser and holds a firmer texture, while dent corn (or hominy) used for grits produces a finer consistency. And while it isn't the case across the board, the corn used to create polenta is generally yellow, while grits are white.

Then there's a matter of geography; polenta hails from Italy, while the American South lays claim to grits. So while there's not a hard and fast rule in terms of color (as mentioned above), you might want to think twice before trying to pass off yellow "grits" to a proud Southern cook!

The truth is a lot of the confusion comes down to labeling. Technically, "polenta" isn't an ingredient at all — it's a dish of cornmeal cooked down into a porridge. Not that the clarification helps matters, because the same is essentially true of grits. This explains why you sometimes won't find either polenta or grits labeled as such in the grocery store. If this is the case, simply look for "course cornmeal."

That said, you'll often spot polenta sold in a tube. In this case, it's been pre-cooked, shaped, and congealed, ready for slicing into rounds and heating or searing as a sort of cake. And while you won't find grits sold this way, you can certainly prepare them this way yourself. Which is to say, polenta and grits are largely interchangeable — and it pretty much comes down to preference which one you choose to use.

Re: Baked Cheesy Grits

rockygems123 — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 21:05:49 GMT

Thank you @SurferWife that is very helpful info!

The polenta in a tube is what I use in a fantastic chicken breast cherry tomatoes whole garlic gloves drizzled italian dressing and olive oil topped with parmesan roasted dish.

Smells divine and all the wonderful juices from the veg and chicken get soaked up in the polenta. yum. It's a Katie Lee Biegel recipe.

Thinking I'm going to try @beach-mom recipe. Are you trying it too and / or do you have a favorite grits recipe?

Re: Baked Cheesy Grits

Nightowlz — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 23:10:20 GMT

Sounds yummy. Thanks for posting. My parents & most of my aunts, uncles, cousins were are from SC.

I love grits or cheese grits. DH thinks I weird since I eat grits but won't eat so many other things?

Re: Baked Cheesy Grits

SurferWife — Thu, 28 Nov 2024 00:33:03 GMT

@rockygems123

Actually my husband does all the cooking and he "sort of" follows the recipe on the bag. He likes to use half-n-half and Gruyère cheese (not sure if I spelled that right) or if we don't have any he uses good ole' sharp cheddar.

Re: Baked Cheesy Grits

Sooner — Thu, 28 Nov 2024 00:57:51 GMT

Anson Mills and Marsh Hen Mills (Edisto Island) both sell quality grits. Marsh Hen has gift boxes at good prices--including red, yellow and blue grits too, plus other locally grown items.

Re: Baked Cheesy Grits

addtothis — Thu, 28 Nov 2024 19:51:31 GMT

Formerly from South Jersey and have lived in Ladson, SC for 6 years---my daughter and her husband live 15 minutes from Edisto Beach and they introduced us to Marsh Hen Mill Grits and oh my goodness it is so good!! I use my Instant Pot pressure mode and use mazzarella cheese and wow so GOOD!! I found the recipe online and printed it off.

Really the Palmetto Brand is good. One thing for sure the South Carolinians know their grits!!!

Re: Baked Cheesy Grits

wagirl — Thu, 28 Nov 2024 20:16:55 GMT

So what is the difference between grits and polenta?

Re: Baked Cheesy Grits

beach-mom — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 04:48:23 GMT

@wagirl wrote:
So what is the difference between grits and polenta?

@wagirl - @SurferWife explained it so well!

I always thought polenta was used in Italian cooking and is a yellow color. I haven't cooked with polenta much. Grits are southern and in their pure form are always white. Of course I make these all of the time! IDK about the taste; I hope someone who uses both can help.

Re: Baked Cheesy Grits

wagirl — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 13:28:10 GMT

@beach-mom --I just read what @SurferWife wrote--thanks---I just started making polenta---use the pot-in-pot method in my pressure cooker which is so easy. Also have used the tube kind and have to say, the fresh is so much better. Think I did eat cheesy grits and thought it was delicious too.