Grits

Southern-Style Cheese Grits

A classic Southern breakfast side — or the foundation for shrimp and grits — made by slowly simmering stone-ground corn into a creamy porridge enriched with butter, milk, and sharp Cheddar. The secret is low heat and patient stirring so the corn releases its starches smoothly.

Prep

5 min

Cook

40 min

Total

45 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •480 ml (2 cups) water
• •240 ml (1 cup) whole milk, or half-and-half for richer grits
• •1 tsp fine sea salt
• •120 g (¾ cup) stone-ground grits, stone-ground preferred; quick grits work but cook in ~5 min — do not substitute instant/cornmeal
• •28 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter
• •85 g (3 oz (about 1 cup shredded)) sharp Cheddar cheese, freshly grated; traditional Southern versions often use a sharp yellow Cheddar or a mix with mild

Steps

1. 1 Bring the water, milk, and salt to a gentle boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent the milk from scorching on the bottom.
2. 2 Slowly pour in the grits in a thin, steady stream while whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
3. 3 Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting. Cook, stirring frequently (every 2–3 minutes) and scraping the bottom and corners of the pan, for 35–40 minutes for stone-ground grits, until the grains are tender, the porridge is creamy, and it has thickened enough that a spoon dragged through leaves a trail that slowly fills back in. Quick grits will only need about 5 minutes of simmering — adjust accordingly.
4. 4 Stir in the butter until fully melted and emulsified, then add the grated cheese in two additions, stirring after each until smooth and glossy.
5. 5 Taste and adjust salt. The grits should be creamy and pourable but thick enough to mound on a spoon; if they stiffen while standing, loosen with a splash of hot milk off the heat. Serve immediately.