The great Polenta VS Grits debate....I am a grits freak. I also like Polenta. But hey, what's the difference between the two?
Polenta is a staple of Italian cuisine. It is traditionally made from a class of corn called flint corn. Flint corn holds its texture better, resulting in a more course end product. Flint corn also tends to have a more yellow hue, resulting in a yellow polenta.
Grits are deeply ingrained in Southern American cooking. They're traditionally made from the corn that's most readily available in the United States, and although the specific variety varies a bit, as a category, grits are made from a class of corn called dent corn. Grits are also available using yellow corn. The yellow grits have a higher starch content and a more robust flavor.
While polenta is made from ground yellow corn, grits are made from white corn. Since both are made from dried corn, they can be swapped out for one another if push comes to shove.
Below are: Sweet Potato Grits; White Grits with Bacon & Scallion; Green Grits (food coloring); Fried Grits with Béchamel Dipping Sauce; White Grits and BBQ Pork; Short Ribs & Polenta.
You can add cheese to Polenta and you can add cheese to grits. You can eat them for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Eat them plain....or get nuts and experiment. Add green food coloring for St. Patty's Day and know that if you cook up a batch of Blue Grits, they turn purple while cooking.
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