While grits and polenta are both made from corn they are not the same. Grits is larger grains and polenta is a smaller grind. You can also get hominy grits which is made using lye.

I like polenta, can't abide grits. However both are plain and you can add anything you would like to them. If you like onions add them to either. Most people here make grits with water and polenta with chicken broth. Since I don't like grits I wouldn't pretend to give you a good recipe.

Wow Alexa, that looks amazing. Copy and Pasted! Thank You for your recipe.

I'm tossing the old bag and going for a new one tomorrow.

I see good things about Anson Mills grits and may have to try those.

What do you love? White or Yellow Grits?

Here is a link that might be useful: Anson Mills Grits

Sorry, but the thought of grits with syrup or jam gives me the willies!

Plain grits with butter, salt and pepper....yes! Shrimp and grits for a brunch or dinner.....yes! But grits with sharp cheese and garlic are sublime!

Way Out There Grits from Sinkin' Spells, Hot Flashes, Fits and Cravin's

2 cups cooked grits
2 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 stick butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs, beaten

opt. 1 jalapeno chile, minced

Beat everything together with the grits. Put in a greased casserole and bake at 350 F for 50 minutes.

This is really good at a special or holiday brunch with scrambled eggs, country ham biscuits, juice or mimosas, and Ambrosia for dessert.

LOL Teresa! I won't make you eat 'em that way, I promise LOLOLOL! But considering we Mainahs even put syrup on scallops wrapped in bacon that might shed a little light..... we LIKE our maple syrup on everything!

Alexa

Well I find "grits"~ the white stuff small and much like cream of wheat..

I use Polenta(yellow) for grits..which I would called a large grind.

I make them for breakfast most times..and it's half whole milk half water...and some good pinches of salt..

Hubby likes his with butter, s&p and sometimes cheese stirred in just at serving..

If I'm serving them for dinner under a sausage or beef sauce they either get made with the 1/2 milk 1/2 water or 1/2 water and 1/2 homemade chicken stock..then garlic and Parm are stirred in before serving.'

And I love grits/polenta with real maple syrup..just a touch swirled through.

Teresa, that is very much like my (Ohio to California) grandmother's grits, although she used mild green chiles instead of jalapenos. I was sure disappointed to see regular plain grits my first time in the South...

Always with ham. Darn I feel some weight coming on....

As far as I can see, polenta is basically glorified grits, and both are glorified corn meal mush, just like the stuff Grandma made me eat when I was a kid when there was absolutely nothing else. The only way I'd eat 'em then was refrigerated until solid, sliced, fried and served with syrup. Now I won't even eat them that way so thankfully, I won't make Teresa cringe, LOL.

Now, the original question about throwing out that bag of corn/grits/polenta. If you don't even remember when you got it, it's probably best to get rid of it and start over. The stuff is bad enough fresh, I can't imagine making it with stale ingredients.

Annie.

I was born in Maine, grew up in California...and I have no idea when or where I first had hominy grits, but I love 'em. I know my Mother didn't make them when I was growing up. It might be one of those things that I just decided to try after reading about a character in a book eating them, or upon seeing them on a restaurant menu and wondering if I'd like them. I'm always trying things on a whim like that...a food I've never tried before is like a red flag to a bull with me.

For breakfast,I love them plain, with ham & eggs, butter and red eye gravy. Or with cheese, poached eggs & bacon. Leftovers are great fried.

As for regular corn grits, I guess polenta is so close as to make no never mind, as I buy the coarser polenta as opposed to the finer grind. I add all sorts of things to polenta. But, I don't really have recipes.

I am a G.R.I.T. (Girl Raised In The South). And I love me some grits!

I'm with Teresa on this one: plain with butter, salt & pepper - mashed up with an egg fried over medium - with lots of cheese & garlic as a side for fried fish - and shrimp 'n grits too. And leftover grits sliced and fried are good too. My Dad used to put sorghum or cane syrup on his leftover fried grits.

I've never had polenta, so I can't speak to that subject.

This may be a stretch but I'd compare grits to rice - in a way. You can make plain ol' white rice and it's delicious, or you can add whatever you want to it and make into something new. I think grits are like that. I love plain ol' grits with nothing added but salt. But you can also mix in a variety of different foods and make grits into a whole new dish. And juat like rice, grits can also be made into a sweet dish as well.

I don't often make grits any way but plain mostly because I've always thought of them as a breakfast food and I love them plain. But I'm going to watch this thread and try some of these recipes. It's time to expand my grits repertoire!

In the words of the late Lewis Grizzard concerning grits:

"Serve 'em with enough butter to choke a goat."

My own indulgence when I go out to breakfast is to get a serving of grits with two over-easy eggs on the side; butter (butter, not margarine) the grits well, then chop up the eggs and incorporate the runny yolks into the grits along with chopped up egg white. Pure cholesterol orgy. Yum.

I have had grits with syrup, but like it says in the Good Book when I became a man I put away childish things.

There is a BIG difference in the quality of grits depending on how long they take to cook (it's related to particle size and processing); the instant varieties are pasty and icky, the 'quick' grits that take 5-10 minute ones are pretty good, but the absolute best are the slow cooked ones that take 30 minutes or so. Full flavored, great stuff. I bet a lot of people who tried grits and didn't like 'em were exposed to some poorly prepared quick or (horrors) instant grits and thought they were eating library paste.

Grits is (are?) NOT polenta.

If you're ordering a big order of grits to be shipped in to you, you may wish to store them in the freezer to prolong their shelf life.

Here is a link that might be useful: mail order grits

What Arley said. Also, it may just be our local stores, but Bob's Red Mill products are always my last choice for grains and stuff. They always seem old.
I do like shrimp and grits and all the extras in grits: cream, cheese, onions, garlic but those are always Sunday brunch or dinner grits. Regular, everyday grits don't have the extras. I don't eat grits often but when I do out for breakfast at Waffle House kind of places, I expect them.

I can usually find fresh stone ground grits at most produce stands here in SC- which is now the
Home of the College Baseball Champions!

LOVE LOVE LOVE.....Cajun Shrimp & Cheese grits

arley, maybe you're right, but I've had polenta I made at home, and it just seemed like cornmeal mush, so I ordered it "out" at an italian restaurant and it still seemed like cornmeal mush, so I went to Russo's and bought special polenta, and it was still just cornmeal mush (which I ate a LOT when I was a kid and which I don't care for).

I made quick grits and they were icky, so I made long cooking grits, which reminded me of cornmeal mush. I even had grits in Georgia in a restaurant served by the surliest waitress I've ever encountered. Sure enough, just like mush.

I will admit that I've never had them with shrimp, although I've had them with bacon and cheese. I can eat them if they are sliced, fried and copiously covered with maple syrup, but that's the only way and I'm not sure it would go with cajun spices or shrimp, LOL.

Actually, the big issue is the texture. Mush is just too.....well.....mushy. Slice them thinly and fry them crispy and it's not so apparent.

Annie

Teresa, thanks for the recipe! That sounds exactly like my kind of publication.

Alexa, you can eat your grits any way you like! ;) (I reserve the right to do the same.)

May, thanks for permission to make them any ole' way. I think I'm going to experiment. I guess like you, I need to expand my methods!

"Serve 'em with enough butter to choke a goat." Arley, that sounds mighty good to me! I know for a fact they're MUCH better with butter.

Annie, it sounds like cornmeal mush was a life-changing event for you. I appreciate that certain textures don't appeal to everyone. (I'm one who has trouble with hand-held ''messy'' food, as it always lands on my shelf, which could be considered a ''texture'' thing in its own way.) Mush doesn't sound appealing, while grits (to me), evokes something different. What's in a name? For some, quite a lot!

Well, Claire, everything is better with butter you know! And maybe some maple syrup.....

Cornmeal mush just reminds me of a time when there was next to nothing, it was last ditch effort kind of food, "eat it or go hungry" food. I still hate it.

Annie

LOL Claire! You certainly don't need my permission to experiment with grits! But do let us know how your experiments turn out!

Annie, I admire you for being persistent as far as trying and retrying things you don't like. No one can say you don't give those foods a fair chance!

I've heard of cornmeal mush most of my life, just never had any. It's mushy to Annie. Grits are gritty to me and that's why I don't like them. Of course if you added Parmesan cheese like you do to polenta I might have second thoughts. Never tried it. I've only tried the butter and jelly thing with grits. Oh and I've had cheese grits and they were still gritty.

Then there's Masa Harina which is also made of ground corn. Obvisouly corn is a many faceted and wonderful vegetable.

May, I just want to make sure I don't miss anything wonderful. If it's something new, I usually figure I screwed it up, LOL, and so I try again, or I try it prepared by someone else.

It's like olives. Every time someone puts some out, I try one. I'm just sure I'm missing something, and sure enough, each time I don't like them. (grin) I just keep on trying...

Beverly, I figured they called the stuff "mush" for a reason!

Annie

I see y'all have got it totally covered. I can't add anything except, butter and sugar or savory with cheese are both fantastic in my book.

Annie, next time you're in the middle Tennessee area (yea, right!) try the grits at Pearl's. They do them just fine and perfect. P.S. (((big smiles for my soul sista!)))) "...It's like olives. Every time someone puts some out, I try one. I'm just sure I'm missing something, and sure enough, each time I don't like them. (grin) I just keep on trying..." I'm right there with ya!

Here is a link that might be useful: Pearl's

Hi Everyone, I know I've been missing since I popped in here back during Pasta Making. Long Story, saved for another time.

Anyway, I'm a GRITS Girl too. Prefer the longer cooking process, not instant, with cheese or w/o, butter swimming and fresh cracked black pepper. Beside Shrimp and Grits, I like Grillades & Grits (Louisanna Breakfast Dish) but I make for supper instead.

Polenta to me is a poorer cousin.

rob, Elery and I have been to Nashville, it just might happen. Trust me, I'll email you first!

Annie

Sorry but I think you have to be south of the 49th to like grits. I've tried, honest I have, but I'm definitely not a grits girl. Don't even want to see them on my plate!

I think the recipe Teresa posted is from Paula Deen, and I make them that way also, except I use half as much butter, and I add herbs to the grits when I cook them. I make my own Cajun seasoning, which is equal parts dried basil, dried thyme, dried oregano, garlic granules, onion granules, salt, 1/2 part cayenne, and 1/2 part black pepper. The ones you buy are most salt and cayenne. I also make faux cornbread stuffing with grits. I'll try to remember to post the recipe when I get home. It's a very quick and easy way to make stuffing that is very close to cornbread stuffing, but I have to say that I have gone back to making the cornbread for it.

I eat grits a lot, and the package I have now is from Red Mills and claims to be both polenta and grits, and so I can't tell much difference. I've loved grits since I was a child, but I never have anything sweet on them. Sometimes I add sausage when making Paula Deen's grits casserole.

Lars

Actually, it is from the cookbook that I listed as the source.

For those of you who think that grits and polenta are not the same thing, I'd like an explanation as to how they are different?

I know hominy grits are different from polenta, because the hominy is corn treated with an alkali to remove the hull and germ. Polenta is simply ground corn, and there is finer grained polenta and coarser ground polenta. Corn grits are coarsely ground corn. I don't see the difference unless one is referring specifically to hominy grits.

FWIW, on this page from Anson Mills it describes the difference between grits and polenta; it has to do with the miller's use of dent corn (for grits) and flint corn (for polenta). Here's the relevant passage:

Dent or Flint?

Corn is classified by the type of starch (endosperm) in its kernels. The premier mill corn of the American South, known as dent (the name derives from the dent that forms on the top of each kernel as it dries), has a relatively soft, starchy center. Dent corn makes easy work of milling--it also makes phenomenal grits.

Flint corn, by contrast, has a hard, starchy endosperm and produces grittier, more granular meal that offers an outstanding mouthfeel when cooked. One type of American flint--indigenous to the Northeast--was, and remains, the traditional choice for Johnny cakes. In Italy, flint has been the preeminent polenta corn since the 16th century when Spanish and Portuguese treasure hunters brought Caribbean flint to the Piedmont on ships.

Here is a link that might be useful: grits vs polenta

Ah, thank you! I did Google up grits & polenta trying to figure it out, but got mostly info about hominy or conflicting theories. This makes sense...the milling is essentially the same, but the corn variety is different.

Now I'll have to find somewhere around here that sells corn grits. The only kind of grits I've seen in the stores are the Alber's quick cooking grits. I know I can order them through the mail, but I'd just as soon avoid the postage if possible. I may have to break down and do it that way though...dunno how many grits aficionados there are here in the valley.

Here is an interesting little article about grits and links to some of the mills around here that make grits and show the process.
I usually buy Timms Mill grits and keep them in the freezer.

Here is a link that might be useful: Grits

I really love grits, covered with butter and served for breakfast. Anything sweet on them is something that I don't want to eat. Here are a couple of Cheese Grits recipes that are good, especially when served with pork.

BAKED CHEESE GRITS by Emeril Lagasse

2 cups yellow grits, not quick or instant grits
1 stick (1/4 pound) butter
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
8 ounces cheddar cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
3 eggs
1 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Prepare the grits according to the package directions. Add the butter, salt, pepper, garlic and cheese. Mix until the butter and cheese melt. Beat together the eggs and milk. Add to the grits and mix well.
3. Pour into a square (8 x 2 inch) baking dish. Bake for about 1 hours, or until the mixture sets.
4. Serve immediately

8 servings

Baked Cheese Grits by Southern Living, DECEMBER 2001

2 2/3 cups water
2/3 cup quick-cooking grits
2 tablespoons light margarine
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 (8-ounce) package light pasteurized prepared cheese loaf, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
Vegetable cooking spray

Bring 2 2/3 cups water to a boil; add grits, and cook, stirring often, 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Add margarine and next 4 ingredients, stirring until blended. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until lightly browned.

NOTE: Casserole may be chilled up to 8 hours. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes; bake as directed.

Yield: Makes 3 1/2 cups

CALORIES 131 (36% from fat); FAT 5g (sat 1.9g,mono 1.3g,poly 1g); IRON 0.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 67mg; CALCIUM 101mg; CARBOHYDRATE 14g; SODIUM 389mg; PROTEIN 6.3g; FIBER 0.3g

When my mother was alive, if she had leftover grits, I would ask for them scrambled with egg the next morning when I was growing up. It was the only way I would eat eggs as a child.
Now I eat them with a lightly fried egg and use the yolk and mix it into the hot grits. Grits frequently are my breakfast before I go out on my crossing guard duty when school is in session.

I was born and raised in the deep south. I don't much care for plain grits, but I do love cheese grits. Hre is the recipe that appears at every brunch in the family. My sister has served it as a side dish with beef tenderloin. We usually double the recipe!

btw, I have no idea why the recipe specifies adding the gruyere cheese with a "wooden" spoon.

Gruyere Grits

1 cup grated gruyere cheese (I usually use 6 - 8 ounces)
1 quart of whole milk
2 cups butter
1 cup of quick (not instant) grits
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bring milk and butter to a boil. Gradually add grits. Bring to a second boil. Remove from heat. Add salt, pepper, and garlic. Mix with electric mixer until creamy. Add grated gruyere cheese with a wooden spoon. Pour into casserole dish. Sprinkle Parmesan on top. Bake for 30 minutes.

Can be made and refrigerated a day or so in advance. Let sit at room temp for about an hour before baking.

bbstx, because you just finished mixing the grits with a mixer "until creamy" and they want you to just fold or stir in the cheese instead of ripping it up with the mixer beaters! JMHO!

Claire:
Is that Southern Italy ??? lol

We make Polenta with Pasta Sauce plus Fried with
butter and Pancake Syrup.
Never had Grits but Polenta is close enough.
LOU

Speaking of Bob's Red Mill - did you read where Bob gave his factory to his employees when he retired? He is the only one from whom to buy in my book.

Thanks for the recipes everyone. I especially like the idea of Gruyere Grits, and will have to try that very soon!

Yes, I did hear about Bob giving his business back to the workers. I thought that was incredible, especially in this day and age. I love hearing about places that actually treat each other as a family.

I bought some grits to try after reading so much about grits here. I had to bury them in so much butter and cheese to make them tasty that I couldn't in good conscience eat them!

Guess what we are having for dinner? Yup, Grits with 1 fried egg on top. No butter (well, maybe a little) with FGBP. Can't wait!

There are plenty of things to add to grits to make them tasty, just like there are many different ways to use a tortilla.

Tip on cooking grits: DO NOT FOLLOW PACKAGE INSTRUCTIONS!!!

Instead, combine the quick grits with cold water and stir to combine. You can add butter, celery (this adds crunch and helps the texture), chopped bell pepper, chilies, garlic, Cajun seasoning, and your favorite salt and stir altogether before heating. Or you can just make them plain, but do NOT boil the water first! If you put the grits into cold water, you will not have any lumps, but if you add grits to boiling water, you have to whisk vigorously to prevent lumps, and this is completely unnecessary. I do not understand why anyone boils the water first, except that that is what the package instructions tell them to do. Those instructions are wrong!

If you are cooking stone ground grits, you will need to soak them first in plain water - do not add salt or other ingredients until the grits have absorbed all the water. I start with two cups of water and 7/8 cup of stone ground grits. For a quick soak, bring the grits and water to a boil, constantly stirring, simmer for one minute, and then remove from heat and cover. They should absorb all of this water in one to two hours. Add additional water for cooking, if necessary. I generally use less water than package instructions because I add vegetables that have a lot of water in them, like celery and red bell pepper. I also bake the cooked grits with sausage, cheese, and egg, which I add after the grits have simmered, covered, for five minutes. I mix water with the eggs (because I held back on water in the first cooking) and add them after I add the cold sausage and cheese - therefore I do not need to temper the eggs.

I made grits for breakfast this morning, and I did not have bell pepper or dried bell pepper, and so I used some dried chilies (from India) that I had not used before, for heat instead of my chili sauce. I also used some Ancho chili paste instead of salt, for a more intense chili flavor, but generally I had some Knorr chicken bouillon in place of salt. I've decided that I like this dried bouillon, despite what others may think. It's also very convenient to store.

If I add dried vegetables to the grits, I also add a bit more water. The dried vegetables are very handy to have, but frozen vegetables are good too. Normally, I add frozen corn before I add the egg mixture, and this also cools down the grits.