What Are "grits"?

[divamomma]

What the heck are grits??? How do you eat it? Cook it? Where do you find it in a store?

[Dixiebell]

They are made from corn. I am going to be a smarty pants and say 'with a spoon' People eat them in many different ways, mostly with butter, salt and pepper.They are sold in the US by the hot breakfast cereals.

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[Lisa]

It's like cream of rice, but ground corn and best eaten with salt, butter and cheese. Traditionally a southern breakfast with eggs, fried toast and a slab of country fried ham and red-eyed gravy. (I'm certain my answer did not satisfy your question, but only to make you more confused.)

There is an extended thread about grits, but I couldn't find it at the moment.

[Jestgar]

It's like cream of rice, but ground corn and best eaten with salt, butter and cheese. Traditionally a southern breakfast with eggs, fried toast and a slab of country fried ham and red-eyed gravy. (I'm certain my answer did not satisfy your question, but only to make you more confused.)

There is an extended thread about grits, but I couldn't find it at the moment.

and what's 'red-eyed gravy'? :blink:

[Lisa]

and what's 'red-eyed gravy'? :blink:

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correction: red-eye gravy

(Think Little House on the Prairie, but in the south in the 20's, 30's 40's with no power and working on a wood burning stove. That's the source of many southern traditions)

[Jestgar]

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correction: red-eye gravy

mmmm coffee.

Does the additional boiling make it bitter? Or is that offset by the (relative) sweetness of the ham?

[jerseyangel]

The recent "grit thread"--

[Lisa]

Not a big fan of red-eye gravy and not attempted in this house. But the country ham here will curl your tongue with salt.

Cold winters were not common enough here to put up fish and pork, so salting was the preservative. Huge hams were hung up in the smoke houses...for a year or more.

On holidays, we have to soak the ham in fresh water and change it several times in 24 hours, before baking.

[Wenmin]

Google Quaker Instant Grits and you shall see. Check for these at your local grocery store first by the hot cereals, but they can be purchased online.

Wenmin

[ElseB]

From another Canadian: what's the difference between grits and cornmeal or polenta???? Or is it just different names for the same thing?

[jerseyangel]

From another Canadian: what's the difference between grits and cornmeal or polenta???? Or is it just different names for the same thing?

Cornmeal/polenta is more finely ground than grits.

[Wolicki]

Google Quaker Instant Grits and you shall see. Check for these at your local grocery store first by the hot cereals, but they can be purchased online.

Wenmin

As they say in "My Cousin Vinny," "no self respecting southerner would eat instant grits." And I say "Ewwwww!", LOL. The 5 minute grits or the long cooking grits are MUCH better!

[divamomma]

I don't think you can buy grits here. I have never seen them. Is that what they are actually called? LOL/

[Wolicki]

Yes, they are called grits. The best brand, IMHO is Albers. Second would be Quaker.

[2Boys4Me]

Grits are white and coarsely ground, cornmeal is yellow and a bit finer, but not as fine as corn flour. You should be able to find Unico corn flour and Purity corn meal at any Safeway or Superstore. I can't speak to Save On, we don't have any in Calgary.

You *may* be able to find grits at a Mexican store, or possibly on the menu at Denny's. They aren't commonly available here. My husband goes to the states twice a year, and he buys them there for my non-gluten-free son who would get beat up in the states as he eats grits with brown sugar and maple syrup.

[okieinalaska]

What are grits? DELICIOUS. : )

The walmart brand of instant(I think)grits are good. Are they gluten free? I haven't had it in ages.

[divamomma]

So you can make cornmeal into a hot porridge like breakfast?

[psawyer]

So you can make cornmeal into a hot porridge like breakfast?

Essentially, yes. The Southerners call it grits. I have had it while travelling in the South (without brown sugar or maple syrup ). It is gluten-free kind and of like what I remember Quaker Cream of Wheat to be.