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By Vallery Lomas, The New York Times
Grits are a beloved staple in many Southerners’ diets, a quintessential grain rivaled only by rice. But some say that they don’t have any defining taste, or that their texture is clumpy or congealed. Clearly, those detractors have never had stone-ground grits, which have way more flavor and texture than their instant or quick-cooking counterparts.
Unlike more typical quick-cooking varieties, stone-ground grits are cooked slowly on a stovetop, with an occasional stir. There’s something serene about watching them simmer on a weekend morning until they turn gorgeously creamy and start to pop, their popcorn-like aroma filling the air.
And they can have so much range. “For holidays, my granny Freddie Mae would make glorified grits — a soufflé,” said Carla Hall, the chef and Nashville, Tennessee, native. But on a day-to-day basis, she said, they “were just another porridge.”
Corn grits aren’t complicated: They’re just milled dent corn. Unlike the sweet corn that is eaten off the cob or in salads like succotash, dent corn has a high soft-starch content, making it ideal for the hot-cereal consistency of grits. But, whether you are serving a humble bowl of white grits for breakfast or making shrimp and grits for dinner or brunch, the quality of both the crop and the milling process will determine how flavorful they are and the resulting texture.
Grits play a significant role in Black history. During enslavement and in the decades after, corn was an essential crop for Black farmers, who both grew and coarsely milled the kernels. “The best millers were all Black,” said Glenn Roberts, founder and owner of Anson Mills, the South Carolina company known for its grits.
But the Second Industrial Revolution prompted a major shift in the production of grits, stamping out traditional water milling in favor of more processed foods, which were easier to transport, Roberts said. Factories began mass-producing grits, shifting business away from Black farmers and millers, and affecting grains’ quality, flavor and cut.
The quick-cooking grits available today are finely ground by machines. They’re ready in just five minutes instead of the 20 to 60 minutes (or more) stone-ground grits require. Hot water rehydrates and warms instant grits so that they can be consumed immediately. But, for both types, what’s gained in speed is lost in flavor, contributing to that myth of flavorless grits.
Stone-ground grits, on the other hand, are often made with heirloom varieties that can vary in color and texture. Whole corn kernels are ground, including the germ, which has significant nutritional value and provides a more robust flavor, between two stones energized by a water mill for a coarser grind. (Cornmeal, by comparison, is ground more finely and often comes from yellow corn.)
How you prepare grits can be deeply personal. Whether you add a pat of butter and a dash of salt and pepper for a savory meal, or stir in sugar for something closer to oatmeal, grits represent a long history and speak to where cooks are from — and maybe even who they are.
Recipe: Shrimp and Grits
By Vallery Lomas
Grits go from breakfast accompaniment to dinnertime star in this dish. Enjoying grits with seafood, such as blackened fish, is nothing new. But the relatively recent popularity of shrimp and grits in restaurants certainly is. The Andouille sausage in this recipe accentuates the Creole flavors while enhancing the shrimp, which is sautéed in the sausage’s rendered fat. The reduced chicken stock and swirl of sour cream complete the savory sauce that pools in the cheesy grits. The corn-forward flavor of stone-ground grits takes this dish to the next level, and the sweetness of the corn pairs nicely with the shrimp. You can make the shrimp component while the stone-ground grits are cooking.
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, depending on your grits
Ingredients
For the Grits:
- 2 cups whole or reduced-fat milk (see Tip)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
- Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- 1 cup stone-ground grits
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white or black pepper
- 1 cup shredded extra-sharp or sharp cheddar (optional)
For the Shrimp:
- 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning (see Tip)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 ounces Andouille sausage, diced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- Salt and black pepper
- Hot sauce, for serving
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions
Preparation
1. Prepare the grits: Bring 2 cups water, the milk, butter and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Once the mixture is boiling, whisk in the grits in a slow and steady stream. Reduce the heat to low so that the grits are simmering, with small bubbles just breaking the surface.
2. Cook the grits over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened and creamy, and the grits have popped open and smell like popcorn, at least 20 minutes, or over 1 hour, depending on the variety and coarseness of the grits. When stirring, be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the pot to prevent the grits from sticking and burning. If the grits thicken before they are completely cooked, add more water, a couple tablespoons at a time, and continue cooking until done.
3. While the grits are cooking, prepare the shrimp: Pat the shrimp dry, then toss them in a medium bowl with the Creole seasoning; set aside.
4. Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced sausage and cook, stirring frequently, until the fat has rendered and the sausage is crispy along the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Working in batches, add the shrimp and cook about 1 1/2 minutes each side, until cooked through. Transfer the shrimp to the plate with the sausage.
5. Add the diced onion and bell pepper to the skillet, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for an additional minute.
6. Add the stewed tomatoes and stock, and increase the heat to high. Once the liquid is boiling, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated, 5 to 10 minutes.
7. Add shrimp and sausage and cook until hot, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and swirl in the sour cream. Taste to adjust seasoning, adding salt or pepper as needed.
8. When the grits are done, remove from the heat and stir in the pepper and cheese, if using. Taste to adjust seasoning, adding up to an additional 1/2 teaspoon more salt if desired. Serve immediately, topped with the hot shrimp mixture. Finish with a few dashes of hot sauce and a sprinkling of scallions
Tips: For a more savory profile, prepare the grits in 4 cups of low-sodium chicken stock instead of water and milk. If you don’t have Creole seasoning, you can combine 1 1/4 teaspoons smoked paprika, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne.
Recipe: Stone-Ground Grits
By Vallery Lomas
Stone-ground grits are dried corn kernels that have been coarsely ground. Unlike instant and quick-cooking grits, their coarse nature requires a longer cooking time, but the resulting dish is more flavorful and, when cooked long enough, smells like popcorn. Don’t skimp on the cook time, and add more water if needed. You can find white and yellow stone-ground grits at many grocery stores, or purchase them online. This recipe is for cheesy grits, though some people prefer their grits sweet and add sugar. Extra-sharp cheddar works wonderfully here, but feel free to use a smoked cheddar or even smoked Gouda for even more flavor.
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: About 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on your grits
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole or reduced-fat milk (see Tip)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
- Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- 1 cup stone-ground grits
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white or black pepper
- 1 cup shredded extra-sharp or sharp cheddar (optional)
Preparation
1. Bring 2 cups water, the milk, butter and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Once the mixture is boiling, whisk in the grits in a slow and steady stream. Reduce the heat to low so that the grits are simmering, with small bubbles just breaking the surface.
2. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened and creamy, and the grits have popped open and smell like popcorn, at least 20 minutes, or over 1 hour, depending on the variety and coarseness of the grits. When stirring, be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the pot to prevent the grits from sticking and burning. If the grits thicken before they are completely cooked, add more water, a couple tablespoons at a time, and continue cooking until done.
3. Remove the creamy grits from the heat and stir in the pepper and cheese, if using. Taste to adjust seasoning, adding more salt, if desired. Serve immediately.
Tips: You can substitute the milk for water and omit the butter and cheese to make these dairy-free. You can also cook the grits in chicken or vegetable stock for a more savory profile.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
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