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My Jalapeño Popper Roasted Corn Cheesy Grits have all the jalapeño popper ingredients added in, plus roasted fresh corn! Serve this as is, as a side dish, or the base for shrimp and grits, eggs and grits, and chicken fried steak and grits. The possibilities are endless. You can use less jalapeño to tame it down or more to bring on the heat.
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What the heck are grits anyway?
If you didn't grow up eating grits you may wonder what the heck they are. What they aren't is polenta. Grits are made from coarsely ground white corn while polenta is made from finely ground yellow corn. Polenta is usually prepared with stock or broth, grits are made with butter and milk. Polenta is creamier than grits which hve more texture and bite. See, grits are better already, especially my Jalapeño Popper Roasted Corn Cheesy Grits.
How are grits prepared?
Typically savory grits dishes fall into two categories, creamy or cheesy. Because grits on their own lack flavor, they are often prepared with cheese, butter, or cream with savory ingredients like bacon, sautéed mushrooms, ham, or shrimp on top.
How do I choose which grits to buy?
Before you decide to make grits make sure you have the grits you are looking for. There are categories ranging from course stoneground grits which take up to 45-60 minutes to cook, to quick-cooking and instant varieties. I prefer the stoneground long cooking grits. Grits cooked slow, on low heat with lots of whisking yield the best results. I use quick-cooking if I don't have the time for whisking, but rarely use instant grits. This is personal preference. Use what works and tastes best for you. For this recipe, Jalapeño Popper Roasted Corn Cheesy Grits, I used quick cooking grits.
Want to know more about grits?
Try: What are Grits and are They Healthy
Recipe
Jalapeño Popper Cheesy Grits with Roasted Corn
Ingredients
- 2 small jalapeño peppers
- 1 ear fresh corn
- ¼ cup uncooked grits (use directions on grits package)
- 2 cups Water (use directions on grits package)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 TBS cream cheese
- ¼ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 TBS butter
- Cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook two slices of bacon. Cool, crumble the bacon, and set aside.
- Roast whole jalapeño peppers over an open flame. You can use tongs to hold them over the flame on a gas stove, or char them on the grill or under the broiler. Do the same thing with the corn.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the kernels off the cob. Discard the cob and set the kernels aside.
- Cut the jalapeños in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and membranes and discard them. Dice the remaining part of the peppers into small pieces and set aside. Wash hands in warm soapy water and do not touch your eyes.
- Measure ½ cup of grits and set aside. (Follow directions on the package for amounts of grits and water for four servings. These may be different than the brand I used)
- Measure water according to package directions and pour into a medium saucepan. Add the salt and bring the water to a boil over high heat.
- Slowly pour the grits into the boiling water, whisking constantly. Reduce the burner to low and cook until most of the water is absorbed but the grits are still bit runny. Whisk every 30 seconds for quick-cooking grits, longer for coarse grits. If the grits get too thick, add a bit of water to thin. You want them loose enough to run off the spoon, not thick like oatmeal. They will thicken when the cheese is added.
- Add the cream cheese and whisk until melted and thoughly integrated into the grits. Remove from heat and add the grated cheddar cheese, mixing to completely melt the cheese.
- Add the corn, diced jalapeños, and half the crumbled bacon to the pan and fold them in until just incorporated.
- Taste the grits and add more salt to your personal preference. Spoon the grits into a serving bowl, lay the butter on the hot grits to melt. Sprinkle the remaining bacon over the top and serve piping hot. Serves four to six people depending on whether they are a side dish or you add a topping and make them the main dish.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition information is provided as a convenience and courtesy only. You are encouraged to do your own calculations if precise data is required.
I just enjoyed my Jalapeño Popper Grits with Roasted Corn for breakfast with a perfectly poached egg on top and lots of hot sauce. I warmed the grits for 90 seconds in the microwave, added a bit of butter to the hot grits, and topped it with the egg. Delicious!
Jodee Weiland says
Your recipe for grits sounds amazing to me! I especially love how you had them for breakfast with San egg and hot sauce. I will have to try this soon!