Would one of our American friends please tell me what 'grits' are?

Question

I'm reading a Kathy Reichs book at the moment, and two of the characters have just had a lunch of shrimps and grits. I'm from the UK and to my knowledge have never heard of them over here.

Answer 1

( Someone wrote that they're potatoes!! ROFL!! Must be a Yankee!! )

Ok, here goes, I'll explain it to you plain and simple.

In a corn kernel, you have the outter shell, and then the inside of the corn kernel, called "pone". Pone is the white substance inside. When "pone" is ground down a bit, it becomes what is called, "hominy". Ground down to almost the consistency of corn meal, it would then be called "grits". Pone, to hominy, to "grits".

These grits are put into water and boiled with some salt. It is a white, pasty food, usually topped with butter. Some people like maple syrup on top, some like cheddar cheese melted into it. But generally, it is served with eggs and bacon for your breakfast, and topped with butter. Grits are not limited to breakfast, mind you, but generally that's when it's served. It is a prized dish among Americans who live in the Southeast.

Hope this helps you.

( And it is not made of wheat or potatoes!! WRONG!! )

Answer 2

Most people have answered this question correctly so all I will say is I love grits! I prefer them with just a little salt and butter and a bit on the thick side. My brother always added sugar to his, but I never cared for it that way. Sugar is for cream of wheat. I also like grits with cheese or with a fried egg mixed into it. My husband won't eat grits, but he's never even tried them, so you can discount his opinion. I think you should always at least taste something before you say you don't like it.

Answer 3

Grits is essentially like a different version of polenta. Except unlike polenta which is made from yellow corn, grits are traditionally made from white corn. It's just white corn meal that's cooked with water and butter. It's generally eaten most often in the south.

Shrimp and grits is just a variation where shrimp sauteed in butter and other seasoning is served over the grits. I think it's most commonly served in the south as a special breakfast.

Answer 4

Don't know where that person above got potatoes from - ridiculous, as an Australian who has lived in Savannah I can assure you that they are a product made from corn, usually served for breakfast with butter and milk or cream and truly delicious. Definately a southern dish

Answer 5

Grits is a type of porridge and a food common in the Southern United States consisting of coarsely ground corn.
Its kind of bland to my way of thinking but then I'm Canadian

Answer 6

They are grounded up corn that you eat in the morning for breakfast, boil them for about 10 minutes, add some butter and they have a very good taste. I live in the south and I eat them almost every morning.

Answer 7

Grits are ground hominy(a form of corn) I am from Louisiana and we cook it like a hot cereal and put butter, salt, pepper and red eye gravy on it. I have friends from the northern US who put butter sugar and milk on them.

Answer 8

They are not POTATOES! They are ground up CORN!!! mixed with butter and cream... very creamy like porridge, but tastes like corn. You can make grits sweet or savory (usually savory) and is a southern american food.

Answer 9

Do you know what hominy is? It's corn kernels that have been treated with lye until they swell up. Grits is hominy that's been dried then ground up.

Answer 10

They are grains served something like oatmeal. But they are made from corn. They are all white in color.

http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/GritsHistory.htm