Smokey Cheese and Bacon Grits
Amazingly satisfying grits from the ground up.
Equipment
- 1 Dutch oven, enameled cast iron, 6 quart
Ingredients
- 16 fl oz stock, chicken
- 5 ml sauce, Worcestershire, Lea and Perrins
- 50 g bacon, apple wood smoked sliced into this strips
- 150 g onion, sweet dine dice
- 160 g grits, stone ground
- 8 fl oz cream, heavy
- 8 fl oz water
- 8 oz cheese, Gouda, smoked grated
- 4 g salt, kosher
- 1 g pepper, white, ground
Instructions
- Crank up your Dutch oven over high heat.
- Toss in your bacon and render a bit.50 g bacon, apple wood smoked
- Add your onions. Lightly sweat them because you don’t really want any buildup on the bottom of the pan for your grits to stick to. Clingy little bastards.150 g onion, sweet
- Add your stock and Lea & Perrins. Use real stock, not chicken cubes. Too much salt. Unless you dig salt, I mean.Cover and bring to an angry boil. It won't take long.16 fl oz stock, chicken, 5 ml sauce, Worcestershire, Lea and Perrins
- Add your grits, stirring constantly. Bring them to a boil.Again, for the love of God and yourself, don't use instant grits.160 g grits, stone ground
- Lower the heat just enough to keep the "farting" (bubbling) going on the surface. Keep it moving to keep it from burning. Do this for about 10 to 15 minutes until the "farting" slows and are dry. (No visible liquid.)
- Stir in your heavy cream and do the same thing as before.8 fl oz cream, heavy
- Taste it to test the texture. You shouldn't feel any mouth "grit" or taste anything raw. If you do, add the water and do as before.8 fl oz water
- You need to taste it again before you add the cheese. Check the salt level.
- Add your cheese, one handful at a time, tasting to check the salt level after the preceding cheese wad has melted.8 oz cheese, Gouda, smoked
- Repeat as necessary.
- Add half your white pepper and incorporate. Taste.1 g pepper, white, ground
- Add the rest of the pepper if appropriate.
- Salt, if necessary.
- Serve however you see fit.
Video
Notes
You’d think the most important ingredient in this dish is grits, but it’s not. It’s patience. And focus. It’s a needy, high maintenance dish that will reward you well if you kiss its ass properly.
Note: Grits in the process of being cooked are a bit like molten lava, particularly when they have tightened up and start to “fart” a little bit on the surface. That’s steam leaving your grits. It’s hot and often takes little bits of grits with it, which are very, very burny because they cling.
Beware.
Nutrition
Serving: 8ozCalories: 421kcal
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