For the best grits, choose good stone-ground hominy grits, found mostly at high-end gourmet shops. Good-quality grits can be yellow, white, even blue, and they have a lively, crunchy texture. Just for the record, most regular folks down South use quick grits. And also for the record, that’s what we use at Bubby’s. But at home I cook from a bag of stone-ground hominy grits from Hoppin’ John’s, a small mill in Georgia (www.hoppinjohns.com). The Tabasco in the recipe really adds a zing to the grits, which go especially well with Smithfield Ham with Red-Eye Gravy (page 189).
Recipe information
Yield
serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Bring 5 cups of water to a boil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the grits and add the salt. Beat the grits vigorously with a wire whisk for 30 seconds or so to avoid lumps. Stir constantly until the grits return to a boil.
Step 2
Reduce the heat to low so the grits are just simmering. Cook, stirring often, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until soft, thick, and creamy.
Step 3
Stir in the butter, pepper, and Tabasco. Taste, and adjust the seasonings with extra salt, pepper, and Tabasco as needed.
Step 4
Cover the grits and keep them warm in a double boiler over low heat for up to 3 hours. Serve warm.
Cheese Grits Variation
Step 5
Proceed with the above recipe through step 3. Stir 2 cups of grated sharp white Cheddar cheese into the hot cooked grits, and spoon the grits into a lightly buttered 8 × 10-inch baking pan. Sprinkle another cup of grated sharp white Cheddar cheese over the top. Place the baking pan under the oven broiler, about 4 inches from the heat source, for 1 minute or until golden brown and bubbly. Serve immediately.
