# Southern Dopers, I need help with grits **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 8, 2014, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-dopers-i-need-help-with-grits/700717 "2014-10-08T01:58:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-dopers-i-need-help-with-grits/700717/1 "2014-10-08T01:58:59Z")
Grits are Southern, right? It’s a long story, but I need a couple of good recipes, or directions, on how to cook grits. I’d sure appreciate it if you would help a Kansas Yankee out. If I can’t trust my fellow Dopers to help, who can I trust?😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-dopers-i-need-help-with-grits/700717/2 "2014-10-08T02:19:48Z")
At its simplest, grits are just broken up/coarsely ground bits of corn. You cook them the same way as oatmeal – boil them (2 parts water to 1 part grits) for 20 minutes or so. Top them with brown sugar, butter, even pancake syrup. That’s Grits 101 (actually, that’s Grits 01.) I’ll leave the advanced recipies to others. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-dopers-i-need-help-with-grits/700717/3 "2014-10-08T02:24:06Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > At its simplest, grits are just broken up/coarsely ground bits of corn. You cook them the same way as oatmeal – boil them (2 parts water to 1 part grits) for 20 minutes or so. Top them with brown sugar, butter, even pancake syrup. > > That’s Grits 101 (actually, that’s Grits 01.) I’ll leave the advanced recipies to others. Basically right, with some notes: -Be sure you stir them, as you would oatmeal. -Salt those mothers. -No true southerner sugars his porridge, so don’t you do it either, no brown sugar, no pancake syrup, no candied yams, no bubble gum, no nothing. Grits should be savory. And I can’t quite figure out how facetious I’m being about this, because I’ve never in my forty years of eating grits eaten them, or seen them eaten, sweet. I mean, do what you gotta do, but weird. -Butter and cheese, on the other hand, are where it’s at. And I’ve had incredible grits cooked with a bit of heavy cream and lots of white pepper added during cooking. -Yellow grits tend to be more flavorful and a bit coarser in texture, IME, than white grits. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-dopers-i-need-help-with-grits/700717/4 "2014-10-08T02:25:12Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > I’ll leave the advanced recipies to others. That is the advanced recipe. The simple recipe (again like oatmeal) is you buy the instant version. Add a little water and heat in the microwave for a couple of minutes. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-dopers-i-need-help-with-grits/700717/5 "2014-10-08T02:33:08Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > That is the advanced recipe. The simple recipe (again like oatmeal) is you buy the instant version. Add a little water and heat in the microwave for a couple of minutes. Even I know how wrong this is. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-dopers-i-need-help-with-grits/700717/6 "2014-10-08T02:39:32Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > -No true southerner sugars his porridge, so don’t you do it either, no brown sugar, no pancake syrup, no candied yams, no bubble gum, no nothing. Grits should be savory. And I can’t quite figure out how facetious I’m being about this, because I’ve never in my forty years of eating grits eaten them, or seen them eaten, sweet. I mean, do what you gotta do, but weird. My mother puts butter and brown sugar on her grits. :smack: But she’s from Brooklyn. Her Southern friends are all too polite to say anything. (I’ve tried telling her that they aren’t yellow cream of wheat, to no avail.) Also, polenta is basically snooty cheese grits. If Baker can make polenta… Shrimp and cheese grits. Num. I’m homesick now. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-dopers-i-need-help-with-grits/700717/7 "2014-10-08T03:17:40Z")
> [@GrumpyBunny](#): > > Shrimp and cheese grits. Yeah, but then you’re gonna need some tasso ham. If you give a moose a muffin… ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-dopers-i-need-help-with-grits/700717/8 "2014-10-08T03:37:00Z")
Salt. Pepper. More than that. Cheese. Bacon. Butter. Green chilis. Butter. More butter. Some more pepper. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-dopers-i-need-help-with-grits/700717/9 "2014-10-08T03:46:55Z")
The corn IS naturally sweet, but we always put sugar on ours. Biscuits and sausage gravy, hashbrowns with Tabasco, grits with butter and sugar, and really strong coffee. That was my breakfast from K-12. YUM! ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-dopers-i-need-help-with-grits/700717/10 "2014-10-08T03:48:45Z")
Thanks for the advice so far. Then, what is the difference between polenta and grits? I have some corn I dried myself. If I mashed it up a bit and started cooking, that would be grits? Corn porridge then. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-dopers-i-need-help-with-grits/700717/11 "2014-10-08T04:12:15Z")
I have spent years arguing with my husband (from North Carolina) about the difference between polenta and grits. My opinion is there IS NO difference. Coarse cornmeal cooked in water, generally a 1 part meal to 3 parts water ratio. Polenta is yellow corn, grits can be white corn. I suggest that when cooking this multi-named cornmeal product, bring it to a boil while stirring, then turn it down low while stirring, until it starts to thicken – not very long at all. Then turn the heat off, cover it, and leave it alone. Grits will solidify into a satisfying block that once cool can be sliced and fried. Or, go buy those pre-cooked sausages of polenta, slice it up and call it grits. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-dopers-i-need-help-with-grits/700717/12 "2014-10-08T04:14:20Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > … > > I have some corn I dried myself. If I mashed it up a bit and started cooking, that would be grits? Corn porridge then. Got to grind up first (into gritty bits) or it won’t be grits. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-dopers-i-need-help-with-grits/700717/13 "2014-10-08T04:17:56Z")
There isn’t a distinct difference between grits and polenta in the initial cooking. Polenta is usually fried or roasted after it’s initially boiled. The polenta may be boiled longer than grits to break down more of the starch while grits are left more… well, more gritty. I add corn oil to grits to bring out the flavor. You can all sorts of stuff like bacon, sausage, and cheese to your grits, but I just mix them on the plate with my eggs and whatever else is there. They just don’t seem right if they’re not served with a pool of melted butter on top. ---
**Author:** ![Barking\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Barking\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barking_Dog)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-dopers-i-need-help-with-grits/700717/14 "2014-10-08T04:20:12Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > Thanks for the advice so far. > > Then, what is the difference between polenta and grits? > > I have some corn I dried myself. If I mashed it up a bit and started cooking, that would be grits? Corn porridge then. I believe the main difference is grits are usually made from hominy, and polenta can be made from a number of grains, including corn. But since polenta is always made from corn these day, I guess they’re exactly the same. As for whoever said instant grits, anyone who’s seen My Cousin Vinny knows that no true southener _ever_ uses instant grits. Now are you sure about that five minutes? ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-dopers-i-need-help-with-grits/700717/15 "2014-10-08T04:38:19Z")
Salt Pepper Butter Cheese (optional) Nothing else goes in grits. Certainly not sugar, syrup etc. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-dopers-i-need-help-with-grits/700717/16 "2014-10-08T04:38:21Z")
> [@Barking\_Dog](#): > > As for whoever said instant grits, anyone who’s seen My Cousin Vinny knows that no true southener _ever_ uses instant grits. > Now are you sure about that five minutes? He’s a fast cook, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-dopers-i-need-help-with-grits/700717/17 "2014-10-08T04:54:56Z")
I started making them in my rice cooker when I had a problem with my stovetop and actually prefer them that way. It’s pretty much the same measurements as rice and water. I personally use sharp cheddar and a bit of salt and that’s about it, though gouda seems to be the new cheese of choice for grits with seafood. If I have scrambled eggs I usually mix them into the grits, and if I fry a piece of ham I’ll usually make some red eye gravy (ham grease, coffee, and water). ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-dopers-i-need-help-with-grits/700717/18 "2014-10-08T12:31:51Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > Thanks for the advice so far. > > Then, what is the difference between polenta and grits?.. About $10.00 a plate! I grew up in Texas but was raised with midwestern & Yankee foodways. So we didn’t always have grits. Here, they are prepared plainly & served on the breakfast plate, so their blandness can soak up the egg yolk & bits of bacon or sausage. Cheese, shrimp, etc? A bit fancier but great. For brunch or a light supper. Never heard of sweetened grits… ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-dopers-i-need-help-with-grits/700717/19 "2014-10-08T12:46:36Z")
No, no, no, no. Whoever is telling you that the proportions are the same as rice, or 2:1 water to grits, is absolutely wrong. Grits, whether quick cook or stone ground, require a 3 or 4:1 liquid to grits ratio, depending on the size of the batch. You need less water as the size of the batch increases. But twice as much water will never suffice. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-dopers-i-need-help-with-grits/700717/20 "2014-10-08T14:22:19Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > Then, what is the difference between polenta and grits? The same as the difference between pasta and noodles. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-dopers-i-need-help-with-grits/700717.md?page=2)