The Best Way to Cook Grits: Use Milk - The Dairy Alliance (2024)

FAQs

The Best Way to Cook Grits: Use Milk - The Dairy Alliance? ›

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. Stir in cooked chorizo and cheeses until they are completely melted.

Grits are often cooked in either milk or water; we prefer a combination of the two for silky grits that aren't too heavy. For additional flavor, substitute water with chicken or vegetable stock. Grits require a 1:4 cup ratio of grain to liquid.

What is the secret to creamy grits? The secret to a creamy texture is adding milk (or even heavy cream) along with water to the liquid mixture. That's why we like to use half water, half milk for this recipe.

A higher 5:1 ratio by volume of water to grits ensures they cook through fully with no stubborn, hard bits. The recommended stone-ground grits offer the best flavor and texture, particularly when compared to grits made with commercial varieties with a more consistent grind.

Grits are made from ground corn, typically from less sweet, starchy varieties often referred to as dent corn. Grits can be made from either yellow or white corn and are often labeled accordingly.

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.

Soaking grits in water overnight and cooking them in their soaking liquid reduces their cooking time by about 50 percent.

However, just as rinsing your grits will remove the bad, it will also remove the good. A source of folate, niacin, and riboflavin, grits have a wealth of nutritional value. To get the most benefits from grits, choose stone-ground or old-fashioned grits and refrain from rinsing them.

Grits, especially in their whole-grain form, hold on to many of these helpful plant compounds, even when you boil them. Grits, as whole grains or enriched varieties, also contain folate, which helps prevent birth defects and may also lower your risk of heart disease and cancer.

Too much hot water can leave your grits runny.

What makes grits taste good? ›

Depending on the kind of grits you're making, you can replace some of the water with stock or broth (chicken or vegetable) or with dairy such as milk, heavy cream, or buttermilk. Milk adds creaminess and a touch of sweetness—ideal for cheese grits—while cream adds even more richness to grits in a breakfast casserole.

Serving Southern Grits

We often eat these grits as-is for breakfast (or topped with a fried egg or crumbled sausage). But they also make a delicious bed for stove-cooked beans or sautéed greens, and are a welcome side for weeknight dinners and holidays, too.

Or perhaps it was the idea that oatmeal is inherently healthier than grits, which isn't necessarily true. According to Livestrong, oatmeal offers more fiber and protein than grits do, but grits contain more micronutrients that you need in your daily diet.

No matter which variety, yellow or white, the beauty of grits is their versatility and ability to take on most flavors paired with them, although they are always best when cooked with milk instead of water. The flavor and consistency difference is truly amazing.

But the best, in our opinion, are stone-ground grits. If you've never experienced the fresh corn taste of stone-ground grits, the first intoxicating forkful will make you a believer. They are the kind preferred by purists, produced the old-fashioned way by grinding with a water-turned stone.

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.

Buttermilk adds a bit of tanginess to recipes like our Buttermilk Stone-Ground Grits. Stock or broth makes the grits extra savory, which can be ideal if you're making shrimp and grits or serving your grits alongside braised or roasted meat.

Quick grits are a finer grind than more traditional selections, but unlike instant grits they are not precooked and dehydrated. Their finer grind also allows them to cook quickly, hence the name, typically in about 5-7 minutes. Like regular grits, they are processed and have a long shelf life.