The Best Bacon Cheese Grits
The best bacon cheese grits are soft, creamy, and full of flavor, and that's exactly what you get with this recipe. They're perfect for breakfast or alongside your main dish at supper. You'll be surprised how quick and easy these grits are to make!
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup half and half
- 3/4 tsp salt (I like sea salt)
- 1/2 cup regular corn grits (my favorite is organic)
- 2 Tbsp salted butter
- 1/2 LB. uncured bacon
- 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I use mild cheddar)
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- optional: fresh chives/green onions
Instructions
Optional - Soak Grits
- Optional but highly recommend! - soak grits in water overnight for a softer texture.
Bake the Bacon (you can do this while grits cook)
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Place the bacon on the pan, make sure the slices aren’t touching.
- Sprinkle bacon with 1/4 tsp salt + 1/4 tsp ground black pepper.
- Once oven is preheated bake bacon for 14-16 minutes until cooked fully and crunchy.
- Set aside on a wire rack or paper towel to get off excess grease and cool.
- Once cooled, chop bacon into small pieces and set aside.
Cook the Grits
- Add water, half and half, and 3/4 tsp salt to a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once it begins to boil, turn the heat down to low and SLOWLY whisk in the grits a little at a time.
- Cook grits uncovered for 20-30 minutes on low heat, whisking for the first 30 seconds then occasionally after that.(Note: Cook for 20 minutes for thinner grits or 30 minutes for a thicker consistency. Cook 5-10 minutes even longer if you prefer even thicker grits.)
- Once grits are soft, add in shredded cheese, butter, cooked bacon pieces, and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
- Stir to combine and heat on low-medium until cheese is combined and melted completely into the grits. About 5 minutes. (This will thicken your grits a little more.)
- Serve with fresh chives or green onion slices on top of desired. Enjoy!