Jalapeno cheddar cheese grits are now one of my favorites—but that wasn’t always the case. My childhood memories of grits are… bleak. Picture watery, colorless, flavorless goo with a texture that lived up to the name grits. The fanciest version I ever saw had a single sad pat of margarine melting on top.
So yes, despite being from the South, I was not a fan. Maybe you can relate. Maybe, like me, you’ve spent years missing out on something that can actually be pretty amazing.
Fast Forward a Few Decades
I grew up, moved out on my own and shunned them like you would a religious heretic. As my career progressed, I earned a little more cheddar and began dining better. Dining at nice restaurants is educational. I learned to try new things and revisit old things. I learned a good chef can make strange things taste wonderful and I learned grits can be good.
Making Grits At Home
If you decide to make these or experiment on your own, I have two pieces of advice. The first is use freshly ground grits. Then, make them with anything but water. It’s easy to make tasty grits with chicken stock, beef stock or milk. This is the companion recipe to my smoked gouda cheese grits with chipotle peppers and adobo sauce found HERE.
So now, you officially have no excuse. Grits are back—and better than ever. Print
Jalapeno Cheddar Cheese Grits
Jalapeno cheddar cheese grits that make you come back for more!
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup freshly ground yellow corn grits
- 4 cups chicken stock (as specified by the grits producer) – get the recipe HERE
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 large garlic clove – microplaned
- 8–12 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese – to taste
- 2–3 jalapeno peppers – seeded and diced
- Salt – to taste
- Half and half – to thin the grits if necessary
Instructions
- Shred the cheese and dice the jalapeno
- Bring the chicken stock to a boil and add the butter
- While the butter is melting add the cayenne pepper and the garlic
- Pour in the grits while stirring constantly and boil for 2-5 minutes, then turn down the heat to medium low
- Cook until the liquid is absorbed and the grits are soft, about 20-30 minutes while stirring frequently to avoid sticking and burning
- Fold in the cheese until it is melted and incorporated
- Fold in 3/4ths of the jalapeno and reserve the rest for garnish
- Remove from the heat and rest for 5 minutes
- Serve immediately or refrigerate overnight and re-heat when ready to serve
- Serve traditionally or pour into a hotel pan, cool and slice to serve as a loaf