Chef Dean
Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
Tender, flaky buttermilk biscuits split and drowning in a rich, peppery sausage gravy made the way your great-grandmother intended. This is the dish that built the South, one breakfast at a time.
Culinary Explorer
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Southern Cheese Grits
Created by
Creamy stone-ground grits slow-simmered to silk, swirled with butter and sharp cheddar until every spoonful clings to itself. This is the South on a plate, the dish that proves patience is an ingredient.
Breakfast & Brunch
Southern
Weeknight
Comfort Food
5 min
Active Time
45 min cook•50 min total
Yield6 servings
There is no more democratic dish in the Southern canon than grits. They've graced the tables of sharecroppers and senators alike, requiring nothing more than cornmeal, water, time, and attention. The addition of cheese came later, a gilding of the lily that somehow became as essential as the grits themselves.
The secret lives in the corn. Stone-ground grits retain their germ and hull, lending texture and flavor that instant varieties cannot approach. Quick grits are to stone-ground what canned soup is to homemade stock. They'll fill you, but they won't move you. Seek out a Southern mill if you can. Anson Mills, Geechie Boy, Logan Turnpike. These names mean something.
I learned to make grits from a woman in Charleston who stirred hers for the better part of an hour, never rushing, never doubting. She added the cheese at the end, off the heat, letting it melt into ribbons rather than seizing into clumps. Her grits were alive somehow, glossy and yielding. That's what we're after here.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
stone-ground white grits
Quantity
1 cup
water
Quantity
4 cups
whole milk
Quantity
1 cup
kosher salt
Quantity
1 teaspoon, plus more to taste
unsalted butter
Quantity
4 tablespoons
cut into pieces
sharp cheddar cheese
Quantity
8 ounces (about 2 cups)
freshly grated
black pepper
Quantity
1/4 teaspoon
freshly ground
cayenne pepper (optional)
Quantity
pinch
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| stone-ground white grits | 1 cup |
| water | 4 cups |
| whole milk | 1 cup |
| kosher salt | 1 teaspoon, plus more to taste |
| unsalted buttercut into pieces | 4 tablespoons |
| sharp cheddar cheesefreshly grated | 8 ounces (about 2 cups) |
| black pepperfreshly ground | 1/4 teaspoon |
| cayenne pepper (optional) | pinch |
Equipment Needed
- •Heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven (3-quart minimum)
- •Whisk
- •Wooden spoon for stirring
- •Box grater for cheese
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the grits
Pour the grits into a large bowl and cover with cold water. Swirl vigorously with your hand. Chaff and broken hulls will float to the surface. Carefully pour off this debris and repeat until the water runs mostly clear, two or three times. This step removes the bits that would otherwise become gummy or gritty in the finished dish.
Some cooks skip this step. Those cooks have never had properly rinsed grits. The difference is substantial. - 2
Bring liquids to a boil
Combine the water, milk, and one teaspoon of salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. The milk adds richness and helps prevent the grits from becoming gluey. Watch the pot closely. Milk loves to boil over the moment you turn your back.
- 3
Add grits gradually
Reduce heat to medium-low. Pour the rinsed grits into the liquid in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly with your other hand. This prevents lumps from forming. Continue whisking for two full minutes after all grits are added. You'll feel the mixture begin to thicken.
- 4
Simmer low and slow
Reduce heat to the lowest setting your stove allows. Cover the pot, leaving the lid slightly ajar to prevent boilovers. Cook for 35 to 45 minutes, stirring every five minutes and scraping the bottom of the pot. The grits are ready when they've lost all trace of graininess and achieved a texture like loose polenta, creamy enough to slowly slide off a tilted spoon.
If grits thicken too much before they're tender, add warm water a quarter cup at a time. They should never become stiff or pasty during cooking. - 5
Finish with butter and cheese
Remove the pot from heat entirely. Stir in the butter pieces until melted and glossy. Add the grated cheddar in three additions, stirring after each until fully incorporated. The residual heat melts the cheese without breaking its proteins. Working off the heat is the key to smooth, silky cheese grits rather than a stringy mess.
- 6
Season and serve
Add the black pepper and cayenne if using. Taste and adjust salt. Grits want more salt than you think. They should taste of corn, butter, and sharp cheese, with enough salt to make all three flavors sing. Serve immediately in warm bowls. Grits wait for no one.
If grits must wait, keep them warm over the lowest possible heat, covered, with a thin layer of warm milk poured over the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Stir to incorporate before serving.
Chef Tips
- •Grate your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with cellulose to prevent clumping, and that coating prevents proper melting. Your grits will be grainy rather than smooth.
- •A mixture of sharp and extra-sharp cheddar creates depth. Some cooks add a tablespoon of cream cheese for extra silkiness, though purists would call this heresy.
- •Grits are traditionally served as a bed for shrimp, but they're equally glorious alongside fried eggs and country ham, or as a side for braised greens and pork.
- •For company, stir in a splash of heavy cream just before serving. It adds richness and helps the grits hold their texture on the plate.
Advance Preparation
- •Grits can be made up to 2 days ahead. Spread in a buttered baking dish, cover, and refrigerate. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes, then stir in additional warm milk and a handful of cheese to restore creaminess.
- •For make-ahead brunch service, cook grits slightly loose and keep warm in a slow cooker on the lowest setting for up to 2 hours. Stir occasionally and add warm milk as needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 217g)
Calories
515 calories
Total Fat
22 g
Saturated Fat
14 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
8 g
Cholesterol
40 mg
Sodium
450 mg
Total Carbohydrates
24 g
Dietary Fiber
1 g
Sugars
1 g
Protein
12 g
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