Without a doubt, the ultimate winter comfort food at our house is grits. We eat them for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. We like grits plain, with just a little butter and cream, but are just as happy to enjoy them as a base for just about any dish.
If someone in our family is under the weather, the first request is a bowl of piping hot grits. They will soothe a sore throat or an upset stomach. I have been told that they will even help with the flu, common cold, and even covid.
Recently, I discovered a microwave recipe for stone ground grits, and I am not sure where I have had my head in the past but microwaving grits is life-changing. I basically have perfect grits in about 10 minutes.
In the past, I have shared my options on quick grits or instant grits for various occasions, but with this microwave method, there is no reason NOT to use the real thing. “Real” stone ground grits taste like corn and have an incredible flavor and texture. Instant grits taste like water and whatever you need to add to them for flavor. Do not waste your efforts. Seek out stone ground grits for these recipes. Most grocery stores carry one or more varieties that are ground fresh in Mississippi.
For my first several tests with the recipe, I followed the exact directions and added butter and a little bit of cream after the cooking process.
Recently, I have had great success with using stock, but to be honest, I believe the exact recipe below is close to perfection. Microwave wattage varies so you may need to try a minute more or less.
Microwave Stone
Ground Grits
1 cup stone ground grits
3 cups of water or broth if you prefer
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 to 4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream or half and half is optional, but this adds another layer of delicious creamy flavor
In a microwave safe bowl, combine the salt, grits, and water. Microwave uncovered on high power for five minutes. Stir and microwave for an additional five to eight minutes depending on the power of your microwave.
Allow grits to sit for a few minutes to make sure the grits have absorbed all the water. Stir in butter and cream. Taste for seasoning.
Enjoy with any variety of toppings, but these are a few of our favorites.
Grits and Loose Beef
This is my favorite comfort food and “go to” meal on any cold, wet night.
The amount of meat does not matter as this is done to suit your own taste. Brown beef (I use ground round or sirloin) in skillet being sure to break it up so there will not be large lumps. Add water to cover cooking 15 to 20 minutes keeping the water level with the meat. This will render out all the fat. Drain the meat juice into another container and set meat aside. If possible, refrigerate the meat juice until you can take off the fat. I usually do this much the day before I plan to use the meat. Return the meat and defatted liquid to a degreased skillet and cook slowly adding beef bouillon paste, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, garlic powder, and fresh lemon juice to taste. The finished product should have enough “au jus” showing through the loose beef to make you sure that you can ladle it onto the grits by the spoonful into its own little indention you made in the grits on each plate.
Katty’s Baked Ham with Reserved Ham Juice
Sliced baked ham is great on a sandwich but I think ham’s true partner in food is grits. Use a little bit of the reserve sauce to make a quick red-eyed style gravy and you have a perfect meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
1/2 ham, butt or shank
2-3 teaspoons tart jelly, such as plum
1 onion, quartered
1 tart apple, quartered
Black pepper
Water or 1/4 -1/2 cup white wine or sherry
Rinse ham thoroughly. Place in a roasting pan and rub with jelly. Place onion and apple around ham, add wine or sherry and then add water to achieve a pan depth of one inch.
Cover tightly and cook 20 minutes per pound in a 325 degree preheated oven. This may take longer depending on the water content of ham. Check after two hours. Ham is done when skin is loose and fork pierces meat easily. Remove ham and reserve ham juice for another use.
Ham juice:
Once ham is baked, strain and pour all juices in a container. Refrigerate overnight or until all the fat has solidified on the top. Remove the fat and what remains is a low fat but highly flavored stock. Freeze ham juice in small containers and add to any southern vegetable recipe.
To make a quick red-eye gravy, combine 1 cup of ham juice, 1/2 cup coffee, and about one to two tablespoons butter and serve over ham and grits.
Grillades and Grits
My husband commented that these grillades taste very similar to French beef bourguignon but with less wine flavor. (The French use a bottle of wine and this recipe uses a cup of wine.) Both are delicious and perfect for a cold winter night.
Some recipes insist that you slice or pound the meat into medallions. I do not go to the extra trouble since they are braised until the meat is basically falling apart.
4 pounds beef top round, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup oil or bacon grease, divided
1/2 cup flour
1 to 2 tablespoons of your favorite Cajun or Creole seasoning
2 to 3 onions, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 bunch or about 5 large ribs of celery and tops, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 regular can diced tomatoes with the juice
1 cup red wine
1 to 2 cups beef broth
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons Tabasco or hot sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 bay leaves
1 bunch parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme (optional but very good addition)
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and the Cajun seasoning with the meat. Tossing it well and making sure the meat is well coated in the flour.
In the bottom of a very large cast-iron pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil or bacon grease. When oil is hot, add meat in small batches. Brown meat evenly on all sides for about five minutes and be sure not to crowd the pot. You want the meat to form a nice crust. Remove meat to well-greased crock pot, if using. If not, set meat on a plate and reserve.
Once all the meat is finished browning, add the onions, bell peppers and celery to the Dutch oven and continue stirring, scraping the bottom and insides of the pot to loosen any brown particles. Cook for about five to six minutes or until the vegetables are wilted.
Add the garlic and canned tomatoes. Cook, stirring, often and scrape sides and bottom. Add the entire mixture to the crockpot, or add meat back into Dutch oven. Add remaining seasonings, the bay leaves, beef broth, wine, and season with additional salt and pepper.
Set crockpot on low and cook for at least eight hours until the meat is tender and easy to shred. If cooking in Dutch oven, simmer about five hours until the meat is tender.
This is best made the day before and reheated slowly. Remove the bay leaves and serve with regular grits or baked cheese grits.
Shrimp and Grits
2 slices of bacon
1 pound unpeeled, medium size raw shrimp
Salt and pepper to taste or Cajun seasoning
1/4 cup flour
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
Hot sauce to taste
Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon, crumble, and drain on paper towels, reserving one teaspoon of the drippings in the skillet. Peel and devein the shrimp. Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper or Cajun seasoning and dredge in flour.
Sauté mushrooms in the hot bacon drippings with additional oil, if needed. Cook for about five minutes or until tender. Add green onions and sauté two additional minutes. Add shrimp and garlic and sauté two minutes or until shrimp are lightly browned and no longer translucent.
Stir in chicken broth, lemon juice, and hot sauce. Cook two additional minutes stirring to loosen any particles on the bottom of the skillet. Spoon shrimp mixture over hot grits and sprinkled with crumbled bacon.
Roast Pork Debris
7 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast (if you cannot find a boneless roast, then get one with a bone, but allow for an additional couple of pounds)
1 large yellow onion, cut in slices
2 peeled carrots cut in chunks or about 12 baby carrots
10 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 cup dry white wine or water
3 tablespoons Kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
Combine salt and pepper in a small bowl and then rub mixture all over pork shoulder. Put in a large roasting pan and cover. Refrigerate overnight or up to three days. Preheat oven to 300 degrees and uncover pork. Roast pork until it is tender but not falling apart, about four hours. Add the onions, carrots, garlic, and wine. Continue to roast until vegetables are tender and roast can be pulled apart, about one hour more. Remove roast from oven and raise oven temperature to 375. Using tongs, remove bone if needed, and separate meat into large chunks. Add more water or wine if needed. Return to oven and roast until many of the edges are browned and a little crunchy. Remove from oven.
Allow roast to rest uncovered for a few minutes, and then serve shredded meat over grits with the pan juices and veggies.
Roasted Meatballs and Marinara over Polenta
Ina Garten was the first chef I know to have suggested serving meatballs over what she calls “polenta.” I was very skeptical when I first read that recipe in one of her cookbooks, but I tried it. She was correct. It is absolutely fantastic. I consider polenta and stone-ground grits to be interchangeable. Enjoy this delicious combination.
For the meatballs:
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
3 eggs
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
3 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
Combine all ingredients and form mixture into balls.
Preheat oven to 375. Grease a rimmed baking sheet and roast meatballs for 15-20 minutes until browned and cooked completely. Allow to cool slightly on baking sheet and then add into cooked marinara for at least 30 minutes before serving.
For the marinara:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cup diced onions
1 cup carrots, shredded
6 to 8 cloves of fresh garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
6 ounce can tomato paste
2 28 ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes, San Marzano if you can find them
2 cups low sodium beef stock
3 bay leaves
Heat oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and garlic. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Add the herbs, spices, and tomato paste. Cook for about five minutes more, stirring frequently. Add the canned tomatoes that you have crushed in the can reserving their juices, the stock, and the bay leaves. Simmer on low heat for about two hours, stirring often and adding more stock or water as necessary.
Add in meatballs during the last 30 minutes. Remove bay leaves and serve hot over grits. —Lisa can be contacted at LisaIreland2013@gmail.com.
