Gordon's Favorite Grit Bake
Based on a Paula Deen recipe from her Lady & Son’s cookbook, this Sunday brunch recipe is rich and carries a little heat. Every now and then your dad gets an itch for some good grits and only local, stone ground will do. Let me repeat...DO NOT use instant grits...like, ever. We buy Palmetto Farms Stone Ground Grits which are locally grown in Galivants Ferry, SC. I actually used to go to church with the family who runs this mill, The Dorman's, whose family started the mill back in the 1930's.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup stone ground grits
- 4 cups water or chicken stock
- 1 lb. breakfast sausage (I suggest Neese's Hot Country Sausage)
- 1 small Vidalia onion chopped
- 2 cans green chilis, drained (4 oz cans)
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 cups cheddar, pepper jack, Monterrey jack, or other cheese blend of your choice
- 5 tablespoons of butter
- 10+ splashes of Tabasco
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley or green onions
- Paprika
Preparation:
- Bring water and grits to a boil, reduce heat to low and let simmer slowly, stirring frequently for about 20-30 minutes until thickened.
- Brown sausage and drain very well otherwise it will produce a greasy dish. I use paper towels and Pat the sausage after draining to soak up any extra grease.
- Cook onion in the same pan as sausage a few minutes until softened.
- Add green chilis and sausage to the onions and mix.
- Add the butter, cheese, tabasco, and eggs to the grits (temper the eggs first so they don't turn into scrambled eggs!).
- Season the grits with some salt and pepper as well.
- Mix the sausage mixture into the grits.
- Pour into a 9x13 pan and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to overnight for best results.
- Top with some additional cheese and the parsley.
- Bake at 325 for 45 minutes to 1 hour
- Most important step: Let the grit bake cool for at least 20-30 minutes so that it can set up.
*Other ingredients to add if you want to change up the flavors: diced red peppers, sub diced jalapeños for 1 can of the chilis, spring onions instead of parsley
