Grits Congee
A perfect combination of two of the worlds most comforting porridges, grits, and congee! This dish is like a hug in a bowl – and I don’t say that lightly. Congee is known as a dish that you eat when you are sick, and it will make you feel better. Adding the grits to it creates a best of both worlds type of flavor. And of course opens the door for adding butter to the mix.
The inspiration for this recipe
I have always loved grits but since moving to Atlanta, I have become more and more obsessed. I was browsing some recipes on social media recently and saw a well topped bowl of congee and thought it was grits for a minute. Right at that moment I decided I needed to combine the two dishes.
Start cooking the rice first
Some congee recipes say that it only takes 30 minutes to make but typically it has taken closer to 45 minutes or even an hour for me. I rinsed the rice and even soaked it for a short amount of time while doing prep work, then added it to the pot. The liquid is half broth and half water. Medium grain rice is best, but you can use long grain instead if it’s what you have.
Add the cornmeal next
Once the rice is starting to get soft you can add the cornmeal. I also soaked this for a little and used the soaking liquid to help remove the chaff – aka some parts of the cornmeal that won’t soften up when it cooks. After you add the cornmeal, add some milk.
Season the grits congee
When you finally get to the perfect texture, remove from heat and stir in some butter, salt, and pepper.
Toppings for grits congee
I topped mine with butter, chili crisp, fried shallots, fresh scallions, and a soft cooked egg. Some other toppings that would be great are chicken, bacon, sausage, shrimp, fried eggs, corn, avocado, or ham! You could also do cooked greens, mushrooms, caramelized onions, cilantro, soy sauce, sesame oil, or peanuts. I have to stop myself because the topping ideas are endless!
Serve the grits congee
I like to have all the toppings in small bowls and let everyone top the bowls to their own liking.
So tasty, so comforting!
Twists and tips for this recipe
I listed all the various topping ideas earlier so lets get into some of the tips. If you have never made stone ground grits, you have to check out this recipe from Divas can Cook. It’s my go-to guide I skim over every time I am making grits. If you have never made congee, I like this recipe.
For toppings, you can check this guide for soft boiled eggs, and this one for crispy shallots.
For more grits goodness, check out my gochujang short ribs with cheesy grits, or this burger with pork belly and grits on top!
Grits Congee
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup medium grain rice
- 1/3 cup stone ground coarse cornmeal
- 2 cups broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups milk
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Toppings
- butter
- sliced scallions
- fried shallots
- soft boiled eggs
- chili crisp
Instructions
- Rinse the rice by putting it into a bowl and covering with water. Tip into the sink to pour out the water, using a fork to stop the rice from coming out. Repeat 3 times, the third time letting the rice soak in the water while you prep the grits.
- Add the cornmeal to a bowl and cover with excess water. Stir, and you will see some darker brown bits floating at the top. Use a spoon to scoop out the floating bits. Strain by tipping into the sink, then add more water and repeat. Strain again mostly, but leave enough water in the cup to just almost cover the cornmeal so it can soak a bit while the rice is cooking.
- Bring the broth and water to a simmer in a medium to large pot or deep pan.
- Strain the rice the last time, and add it to the broth (don't worry if a little water remains with the rice)
- Stir and cook at a low simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Strain any excess water from the cornmeal and add it to the pot. Stir to combine. Add in the milk. Continue at a low simmer for another 30 minutes.
- Taste and assess – all rice and cornmeal cooks a little different. Is it cooked enough? Do you need more liquid? You could add more stock or milk or water if needed and depending on how you like it.
- Once you are happy with the texture, add in the butter, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Taste one more time and adjust seasonings to your taste.
- Serve and top with the egg, butter, scallion, shallot, and chili crisp to your taste!