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Overnight Stone-Ground Grits

Source of Recipe

From "A Real Southern Cook in Her Savannah Kitchen" by Dora Charles


Recipe Introduction

"I'm not usually crazy about stone-ground grits because they don't have that silky quality I like so much, but these are an exception to my rule. In the long, slow, overnight cooking, they develop a smooth texture that's really good. Plus, you can't beat the convenience of putting them in the pot, setting them in the oven for the night, and opening the pot in the morning with your perfectly cooked grits all ready to go. Just be sure you have real stone-ground grits from a mill and keep them in the freezer so they'll be fresh. If you have an electric oven (most gas ovens won't go low enough) and a pot with a tight-fitting lid (a Dutch oven is fine), you're all set. The idea is to mix water and grits in a ratio of four-to-one, with a little salt. You can make as much or as little as you want, but here's a starter recipe."

List of Ingredients

◦ 1 cup stone-ground grits
◦ 4 cups water
◦ 1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
◦ Ground black pepper to taste
◦ About 2 tablespoons butter, for serving


Recipe

Start the night before:
Set the oven to 180 degrees (usually the lowest setting).

In a pot with a tight-fitting lid, stir together the grits, water, and salt. Cover the pot and slide it into the oven to cook undisturbed overnight.

The next morning, taste the grits; they might need more salt.
I like to add pepper and butter, too, before serving them hot.

Serves 4 to 6




❧ Tips:

✰ Leftover grits are no problem. Make grits cakes! Spread them out in an even layer in a shallow pan and let them cool completely, or refrigerate, covered, overnight. Spread a hot griddle or skillet with bacon grease or butter and cut the grits into shapes: squares, circles, triangles, whatever. When the grease is hot, add the grits cakes and cook over medium heat, turning once, until golden brown and crispy on both sides. Grits cakes are great for breakfast or as a side dish.

✰ If you like real old-fashioned Irish steel-cut oatmeal, you can cook it exactly the same way and it will be ready for breakfast when you get up in the morning. Add some raisins and cinnamon, and you have a great winter morning breakfast.