Southerners love their grits. No kidding. Take a trip down South and make a breakfast stop at any little Mom ‘n Pop diner, and you’re likely to be asked if you want grits with your eggs and sausage.
Although grits are often served as a breakfast side dish much as cream of wheat is served in other parts of the country, grits aren’t just for breakfast. Southern grits are popular with salt cured country ham and red eye gravy for the dinner meal. And, most Southern cooks have a favorite grits casserole recipe tucked in the recipe box.
The most common grits casserole recipes in the South include adding cheese to the grits, since most Southerners think cheese makes almost anything taste better. There are a number of different versions of classic baked grits, and this Velveeta recipe from North Carolina is one of the best.
Southern Cheese Grits Recipe
Ingredients:
- 6 cups water
- 1 stick butter (or ½ cup)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp seasoning salt (Lowry’s is good)
- 1 ½ cups grits (not the quick cook kind)
- 1 pound (16 oz) of Velveeta cheese (or other soft cooking cheese)
- 3 eggs
- 5 splashes of hot sauce (Louisiana brand is good)
Directions:
- In a medium saucepan, pour water and add stick of butter and salts. Bring to a light boil.
- Add the grits slowly and stir continuously with the heat at a low boil. Do not let the mixture get too hot and boil hard, or grits will pop out on your hand and burn you.
- Add cheese when grits begin to thicken (similar consistency to boiled pudding).
- Continue to cook and stir, until cheese is melted and grit mixture is thickened. The grits should be around the same texture as cooked oatmeal but perhaps just a bit thicker depending on taste preferences.
- Beat the eggs in a small bowl as if to scramble. Then, put about a tablespoon of the hot grits mixture in the eggs and stir. This keeps the eggs from curdling from the sudden heat in the saucepan.
- Pour the eggs and splash the hot sauce into the grits and stir.
- Grease a 3 quart baking dish with Crisco (butter flavored Crisco is nice for this) and pour the grits mixture into the dish. Shake to make even or use a spoon as needed to even out the grits in the dish.
- Bake for 1 hour in a slow oven at 250 degrees F.
Baked cheese grits as a nice choice if you're hosting a holiday brunch, and they're also good as a side dish with ham and applesauce.
More Favorite Southern Casserole Recipes:
Hash Brown Casserole - If you love Cracker Barrel's hash brown casserole, this is the recipe for you. This old family recipe has been around for years and is always a tasty treat.
Southern Sweet Potato Casserole - This dish is sweet as sin and can easily be considered a dessert, although most Southerners do serve this recipe as a side dish.
Green Bean Casserole - Yes. This is THE green bean casserole - the one with French's onions on top.
 |
