• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Cook with Erica
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Inspiration
  • Travel Adventures
  • What’s Cooking
  • Blog
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Dessert
    • Bread
    • Soul Food + Southern Food
    • German Recipes
    • Turkish Recipes
    • Street Food
  • Mental Health Soul Food
You are here: Home / Recipes / Breakfast / All About Grits – How to Cook Grits

All About Grits – How to Cook Grits

August 22, 2022 by eeturner Leave a Comment

pouring grits from a mason jar into a bowl

What are grits?

Grits are a type of thick porridge made for hominy, white corn that is traditionally stone ground and undergoes nixtamalization in which the corn is soaked in an alkaline solution, most commonly limewater to increase nutritional value and make the corn easier to grind in a grist mill.

How to Cook Grits?

Grits (even quick grits) require at least 30 minutes of cooking, with occasional stirring to keep the grits from sticking and burning on the bottom of the pot. Once they start boiling, keep the pot covered since grits can “pop” as they boil and can burn you, so pull the pot off the heat, open the lid gently and stir with caution but confidence.

Grits can be cooked in water, milk, or cream. My preference is a combination of milk and water, gradually adding more as needed while the grits cook. They’re commonly flavored with butter and salt, although some people prefer to eat sweet grits sweetened with sugar or honey.

Where do people eat grits?

In the United States, traditionally grits have roots in Native American cuisine dating back to the 16th century. Grits grew in popularity in the south and nowadays are considered a southern food or soul food dish with roots in Native American culture. In the south, they can be found at quick service restaurants, diners, fine dining restaurants and of course, home kitchens. Within the past decade, grits have started to become popular in other parts of the country but as someone who grew up in the South, and lives in the North, they’re still not quite as popular or even known in the North the way that they are in the South.

When Do People Eat Grits?

Grits are traditionally consumed by most for breakfast. However, like other breakfast foods, they’re sometimes paired with other savory foods and eaten for dinner. In my family, we’d often have fish (or sometimes shrimp) and grits on Fridays. It’s a tradition from my maternal grandmother that my Mom used to love to prepare for our family.

What does G.R.I.T.S. mean?

It’s an acronym for “girls raised in the south.” Of course, it’s quite fitting for a southern dish.

Do Grits “Stick to Your Ribs”?

“Stick to your ribs” is a saying that means that something keeps you full for a long period of time. Yes, a bowl of grits, especially paired with a protein like eggs, will most certainly keep you full and fueled for several hours.

 

Filed Under: Breakfast, Recipes, Soul Food + Southern Food

Previous Post: « How to Make Overnight Oats
Next Post: Hearty & Healthy Vegetable Soup – How to Make Vegetable Soup »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

Baklava Pockets – What is Baklava

Baklava pockets on a white plate with a glass of Turkish Chai and blue tea towel

About Erica

Hello, I'm Erica! I am a professionally trained cook, on-air host, recipe writer with over 20 years of experience working in the food industry. I started cooking at the age of 5 and I specialize in Southern, German, Turkish and Middle Eastern cooking. I work full time as a Recipe Developer for a well known culinary media company and I started this food blog to as a place to further develop my skills and teach others. I attended culinary school in Gaziantep, Turkey and studied German cooking first hand in Germany. Read More…

eeturner: View My Blog Posts

How to Make Oatmeal – Savory Mushroom Parmesan Oatmeal

Footer

Instagram

View on Instagram

Follow Me!

  • Instagram
  • YouTube

About Erica

Hello, I'm Erica! I am a professionally trained cook, on-air host, and recipe writer with over 20 years of experience working in the food industry. I started cooking at the age of 5 and I specialize in Southern, German, Turkish and Middle Eastern cooking. I work full time as a Recipe Developer for a well known culinary media company and I started this food blog to as a place to further develop my skills and teach others. I attended culinary school in Gaziantep, Turkey and studied German cooking first hand in Germany. Read More…

eeturner: View My Blog Posts

Kubaneh (a Traditional Yemenite Bread)

https://youtu.be/m8MYRad0E84

Copyright © 2023 Cook with Erica on the Foodie Pro Theme

Go to mobile version