How To Make Southern-Style Grits

Southern grits are some of the creamiest, dreamiest dishes on the planet. Made from stone-ground grits and slow cooked to perfection, I love them best finished with a generous heap of butter, cheese (mmm, cheesy grits!), and heavy cream. The result is a slightly toothsome porridge that rivals the richest risotto (imho) — and is even easier to make.

While there are many ways to make grits in the South (you can even make grits in the Instant Pot), this is the method I learned during my 12 years living there. It includes tricks I learned from seasoned Southern chefs and my husband’s 89-year-old grandmother, MawMaw Beattie. One of the tips is to soak the grits overnight, cook it with water and finish with dairy. Here’s how I make grits their Southern way.

Grits, like polenta, are made from dried corn that has been stone-ground. When cooked slowly in water, grits release their starch and make a creamy porridge that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

To me, Southern grits are defined by their sourcing. Anson Mills is one of the most popular small-batch brands, but you can also find brands like Palmetto Farms and Geechie Boy Mill at some grocery stores across the country.

• Use quality, stone-ground grits. This is the most important thing: skip quick-cooking or instant grits for this cooking method (and for Instant Pot grits, as well). They simply do not have the depth of flavor of stone-ground grits.
• Soak your grits overnight before cooking for best results. This is a tip I learned from Nashville-based chef and cookbook writer Sean Brock. When you soak your grits overnight, they cook faster and taste creamier.
• Use this quick-soak method if you’re in a pinch. Since a grits craving can be swift and without warning, you can also do a quick soak of stone-ground grits by bringing the grits and water to a boil, removing them from the heat, covering the pot, and resting them for anywhere between 20 minutes and one hour. You’ll then finish cooking them slowly on the stovetop.
• Cook with water; finish with dairy. Some folks say that Southern grits are always cooked with milk, but my husband’s MawMaw Beattie, taught me that it is much better to cook your grits in water and finish them with cream, butter, and milk. She started doing this to make leftovers easier to reheat — she didn’t have to worry about burning the milk-cooked grits, and she could loosen the cold grits with the cream and butter. The taste of grits finished with cream is divine, and you get to avoid the cooked-milk flavor of other methods.

Another controversial topic: Do true Southern-style grits even have cheese? We always add cheese to our grits — either Parmesan or sharp cheddar. But you can certainly skip the cheese altogether; some people prefer theirs without.

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.

Once you’ve learned the basics, there are so many ways to enjoy grits.

• Southern-Style Grits with Okra, Corn, and Goat Cheese
• Blackened Catfish and Smoked Gouda Grits
• My Mom’s Amazing Cheese Grits
• Classic Southern Shrimp and Grits in Just 30 Minutes
• Jalapeño Cheese Grits with Jammy Eggs and Bacon

Yes! You can cook the grits through step 3, then refrigerate. Warm them over low heat and add the cream and butter just before serving.

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