Your Favorite Way to Cook Polenta: Tips and Tricks

[andiesenji]

A note about cooking grits, polenta or cornmeal.  Sometimes traditional recipes leave out an essential step because a lot of cooks who have been preparing something for decades, simply "assume" that "everybody knows to do that"  and soaking grits, sometimes overnight, is one of those steps that are often omitted.

 

One of my aunts contributed several recipes to a "Ladies Auxiliary Cookbook" quite a few years ago in Paducah, KY and sent me a copy.

 

I read through the book and phoned her (before internet) and asked her why she did not mention soaking the grits for a particular recipe that I KNEW she prepared that way, because I had been in her kitchen when she had done it.

Her reply was, "Honey, EVERYBODY knows that grits have to be soaked before cooking them."    I pointed out that "everybody" doesn't - and they added an "errata note" to the book before it went on sale...

 

So, it all depends on the type of cornmeal you use - some has been manipulated to cook without the soaking, but it has also lost some flavor (and nutrients) and in my opinion, does not produce as good an end result as the plain old or heirloom varieties that do require a bit more effort but the results are far better.

Edited June 13, 2014 by andiesenji (log)