grits

The other afternoon I took the rare opportunity to sit down and catch up on some of my magazine reading. My husband subscribes to Garden and Gun.  I went to their website and found out how they came up with the name. The title of the magazine refers to a “metaphor for the South—its land, the people, their lifestyle, and their heritage.”[1]
 
In the February/March 2020 issue, they wrote, “The Ultimate Guide to Grits.” In the article they spoke with chefs on how they chose and what mill they prefer grits from. They also discussed preparation, what type of liquid to use, method of cooking and the chefs all agreed butter was necessary in grits, what additions they like and, lastly, what to do with leftovers. Ever since we started visiting Charleston, I purchase Geechie Boy Grits. We had our first taste of grits at a little storefront market/deli that has since closed. We’ve been to Charleston several times and I always pick up Geechie Boy Grits. Back in 2016 I started making shrimp and grits, a recipe from the Williams-Sonoma website. I love the grits in this recipe because they add both Parmesan and shredded cheddar.

[1] “Garden and Gun Magazine” Rebecca Wesson Darwin, President and CEO, Garden and Gun

---

What got me intrigued in the Garden and Gun article was one of the chefs prepared his grits in a crockpot. Another chef mentioned topping his cheese grits with sautéed andouille sausage and a fried egg. I thought this would be a great breakfast alternative for me, but I prefer a poached egg. So began my hunt for a recipe for crockpot grits. I came across one from Christin Mahrlig on her website “Spicy Southern Kitchen.”  The recipe’s proportions were similar to the one I normally follow, however, they cook in the crockpot for approximately 7-8 hours. The recipe called for spraying the inside of the crock with cooking spray. Since I don’t use cooking spray, I buttered the inside of the crock with butter wrappers that I save. After making the crockpot grits, the next time I will butter the crock more generously for easier clean up. I also added some small Grana Padano cheese rinds that measured about 2” in length. They flavored the grits wonderfully, but since they were in the pot for approximately 7 hours, it was a challenge to find and remove them. Next time, I’ll use larger rinds.
 
When I got up in the following morning all I had to was whisk the grits, add the grated cheese, salt and pepper. I turned the grits off while I poached my egg. Once done I placed the egg on top and seasoned with salt and pepper. What a delicious breakfast. The grits were creamy, well seasoned and lush from the cheeses. It was a hearty breakfast on a dreary, rainy morning. My husband also enjoyed this change of pace. I can’t wait to make them again!