Easy does it
Grits for when you’re not in a hurry
Grits are a beloved staple in many Southerners’ diets, a quintessential grain rivaled only by rice. But some say that they don’t have any defining taste, or that their texture is clumpy or congealed. Clearly, those detractors have never had stone-ground grits, which have way more flavor and texture than their instant or quick-cooking counterparts.
Unlike more typical quick-cooking varieties, stoneground grits are cooked slowly on a stovetop, with an occasional stir. There’s something serene about watching them simmer on a weekend morning until they turn gorgeously creamy and start to pop, their popcorn-like aroma filling the air.
Grits play a significant role in Black history.
During enslavement and in the decades after, corn was an essential crop for Black farmers, who both grew and coarsely milled the kernels. “The best millers were all Black,” said Glenn Roberts, founder and owner of Anson Mills, a South Carolina company known for its grits.
But the Second Industrial Revolution prompted a major shift in the production of grits, stamping out traditional water milling in favor of more processed foods, which were easier to transport, Roberts said. Factories began massproducing grits, shifting business away from Black farmers and millers, and affecting grains’ quality, flavor and cut.
The quick-cooking grits available today are finely ground by machines. They’re ready in just five minutes instead of the 20 to 60 minutes (or more) stone-ground grits require. Hot water rehydrates and warms instant grits so that they can be consumed immediately. But, for both types, what’s gained in speed is lost in flavor, contributing to the myth of flavorless grits.
Stone-ground grits are often made with heirloom varieties that can vary in color and texture. Whole corn kernels are ground, including the germ, which has significant nutritional value and provides a more robust flavor, between two stones energized by a water mill for a coarser grind. (Cornmeal, by comparison, is ground more finely and often comes from yellow corn.)
How you prepare grits can be deeply personal. Whether you add a pat of butter and a dash of salt and pepper for a savory meal, or stir in sugar for something closer to oatmeal, grits represent a long history and speak to where cooks are from — and maybe even who they are.