Jalapeno Garlic Cheese Grits
The best side dish to barbecue, chili, steak and more! Filled with 3 cheeses, lots of garlic and roasted jalapenos!
Ingredients
- 9 fresh jalapenos
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups unsalted or low-sodium chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced or pushed through a garlic press
- 1/4 cup shallots, small-dice
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup uncooked stone-ground grits, not instant, my favorite brand: Southern City Flavors
- 1 cup (4 ounces) extra-sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup (4 ounces) cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup (2 ounces) Asiago cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the broiler to high. Set a rack about 6 - 8 inches from the broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil.
- Lay the jalapenos on the foil-lined baking sheet. Broil for 5 minutes, or until the tops are blistered and there is some charring. Turn the peppers over and broil for another 5 minutes. Continue this process until the peppers are blistered with some charred spots on all sides.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and carefully (hot pan) wrap the foil around the jalapenos. Let the peppers sit and steam for 5 minutes, or until they are cool enough to handle. This allows the skins to peel off much easier.
- Using disposable gloves, peel the skins off the peppers and discard. Remove and discard the stems and seeds, also.
- Roughly chop the peppers and set them aside.
- Place the milk, stock, garlic, shallots, salt, and pepper in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Carefully taste for seasoning and adjust as desired. (It’s important your liquid tastes really good; it is the base of your dish, but be careful not to over-salt because you will be adding the cheeses which have a bit of saltiness, too.)
- Once simmering, turn the heat to low and slowly add the grits while whisking.
- Place a lid on the saucepan and cook for 20 minutes, or until the grits are creamy and tender.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the cheeses, a handful at a time, stirring to blend and melt.
- Fold the chopped jalapenos into the grits and mix well.
- Taste for seasoning, adjusting as desired. Serve warm.
Notes
Feel free to change up your peppers – poblano, serrano, and habaneros for the truly capsaicinophiles. (Yes, friends, that is a real word describing people who LOVE hot and spicy foods.)
Same for cheeses, feel free to change them out. There is a whole world of yummy cheeses to explore that would work here… Gouda, Fontina, Gruyere, any good-melting cheese!
Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When reheating, you can add milk or stock to thin out the grits if desired.
Whole milk will provide the best flavor, but you can substitute 2% milk. I would steer away from nut/plant-based milks. They’re very thin/fluid and can sometimes yield a nutty or sweet flavor that you do not want in these grits. I would stick with real dairy here.
Nutrition Facts
Jalapeno Garlic Cheese Grits
Amount per Serving
Calories
330.89
% Daily Value*
Fat
17.53
g
27
%
Saturated Fat
9.85
g
62
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.56
g
Monounsaturated Fat
2.45
g
Cholesterol
51.67
mg
17
%
Sodium
816.58
mg
36
%
Potassium
360.3
mg
10
%
Carbohydrates
29.7
g
10
%
Fiber
1.86
g
8
%
Sugar
5.49
g
6
%
Protein
15.07
g
30
%
Vitamin C
21.64
mg
26
%
Calcium
526.71
mg
53
%
Iron
10.58
mg
59
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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