Goat Cheese Grits

Goat Cheese Grits are the creamy southern staple that is good any time of the day, but best served with people around your table!

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Growing up, when I was sick, my darling grandmother would come over and make cheese grits.

For us, this is comfort food.

This is what we eat when we just need that little extra comfort in our life.

We’ve had a hard day, something didn’t go as planned, your feeling blue, GRITS are the answer. 

Grits are a staple here in the south.

We serve them as Bubba Gump talks about shrimp… Every which way and more! We have a wonderful restaurant in town called Tupelo Honey Cafe, and many have heard of it now that it is a chain and all over the southeast.

They serve delicious goat cheese grits, and this recipe is similar. Their Goat Cheese Grits recipe is in their original cookbook — in high school I loved going to the ‘original’ Tupelo Honey Cafe, and sitting at the bar so I could watch the working kitchen. One evening I was sitting there, and Brian, the head chef offered to show me how to make grits.

What a happy memory!

 

 

This is my favorite way to prepare them — with creamy goat cheese stirred in and smokey bacon crumbled on top.

For me, this is a meal in itself, any time of the day. 

How to Make Goat Cheese Grits

My recipe starts with slow cooking stone-ground grits.

Now, get ready… this isn’t a quick thing. Even when you buy the “quick cook” grits from Quaker, you still need to give it wayyyy more time than you think. {Like, those quick grits that say they are ready in 5-7 minutes… Not really… try 20-30 minutes!}

Most people who say they don’t like grits have never had GOOD grits. And once you have the real deal, cooked all the way stone-ground grits, you’ll know what you’ve been missing. 

While most recipes call for water, I use a combo of both water and milk.

The addition of creamy milk helps give you even creamier grits, leaving that unctuous feeling in your mouth.

 

You’ll need to stand at your stove a while, so hunker down.

This is a dish prepared with loving tender care — babied, and stirred more than most will ever know.

It’s a lot like making a roux — take your phone off the hook {Which for millennials means put it on silent and remove your Apple watch.} and wear some comfy shoes. You’re going to be standing and stirring a long while.

If you’ve ever made fudge, and the whole stir for 7 minutes bothers you, get ready for an arm workout!

Steps to Making Grits

Begin with a large dutch oven, like this one, bring 3 cups of water + 1 cup of milk + 2 teaspoons of salt to a rolling boil.

Not sure what a rolling boil looks like? The water will literally be rolling. if you just see bubbles coming up to the top, it’s not rolling yet! Wait.

Once you’ve got the boil rolling violently, SLOWLY pour in your 2 cups grits, while you whisk rapidly.

You want to coat each grain with the liquid, so the slower you pour and the better you whisk, the better your grits will taste.

Now, turn your stove down to simmer—and every 3 minutes, remove the lid and stir, stir, stir!

If you notice your grits becoming thick, but they don’t look (or taste!) creamy, add a splash of cream or milk. 

Grits are done when they’re silky and creamy. Nothing gritty should be going on! Each grain has taken on enough water!

Then, stir in half a stick of butter, 1/3 cup of heavy cream, 8 ounces of goat cheese. and several grinds from the pepper mill.

Finally, turn the heat off, and ladle bowls full of this creamy goodness, and top with the Best Bacon you will ever eat!

What can I mix with grits?

You can really top grits with anything! ((People even add brown sugar on top of theirs!)

I recommend bacon, but Shrimp is lovely!

You could even create a Grits Bar and set out baked potato toppings, and allow people to top their own.

What are grits?

Grits are made from dried corn that’s been crushed.

What is the liquid to grits ratio?

While grits are similar to rice, they often need a lot more liquid. I start with 4-6 cups of liquid. As the grits cool, they’ll thicken, so if you’re serving these at a grits bar, make them soupier than if you’re making them for breakfast and eating right away.

The great thing about grits is you can always add more liquid. If you think your grits aren’t done, and they need more liquid, add some more!

 

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I love bringing the pot to the table and ladling bowls of grits to everyone.

Cooking is how I show love to people, how I connect. I love the humble act of serving others and hearing the silence of a good meal. 

Does your family make grits?? I would love to hear what your mama made when you weren’t feeling well!