Bacon Bit Grits
Creamy Cheesy Grits Inside a Crispy Shell
After conquering my fear of making grits, I wanted to make something bite sized and party friendly. While making chicken tenders for the kids one night it hit me- why couldn’t I bread and bake grits? So tada! Crunchy, cheesy, bacon-y grits in a bite. Of course, you could make these without bacon, but in my humble opinion, bacon makes everything better……
This appetizer/breakfast enhancer/dinner side is easy to make ahead and bake when ready.
makes 24 grit bites
Down to the Nitty Gritty….
- 3/4 cup grits
- 4 cups of water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 1/2 cup shredded cheese
- 1 1/2 lb bacon
- 1 cup flour + salt & pepper
- 2 eggs + 2 Tbsp water
- 1 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
Cut the bacon into 1/2″ slices. Cook over medium heat until crispy. Remove from pan with a slotted spatula. Save the bacon grease.
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Whisk in the grits. Lower heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, adding water when the grits get too thick. You want a creamy not mushy consistency. See picture below.
Take off the heat and add salt, garlic powder, bacon (reserving 1/4 of the bacon for toppings), butter and cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Pour into a 13×9 pan and let cool to room temperature, then put in refrigerator. Let the grits harden at least an hour.
Once they are hard, pull out of the refrigerate and preheat oven to 350.
Cut the grits into 2″ circles. Add flour, salt and pepper to a bowl. Add eggs and water to a second bowl. Whisk until mixed. Add breadcrumbs to the third bowl.
Coat a baking sheet with the bacon grease. Dredge each grit bite in the flour. Dip into the egg mixture and finally dredge into the breadcrumbs, making sure it is completely coated in each step. Place on the baking sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes, flipping them over halfway through. Let cool and top with my Creamy Sour Cream and Chive dip (recipe below), saved bacon bits and green onions.
Nerdy Tips
- cutting the bacon into bits before cooking it makes is easier and quicker to cook all at once in uniform pieces.
- I stored my bacon grease in a mason jar and when it was time to
- if you’re in a hurry to harden the grits, you can put them into the freezer for 20 minutes.
- There are two ways to make these the day before you serve: complete the steps all the way up to baking. Store the coated grit bites in the refrigerator until ready to make. Add 5 minutes to the baking time. Secondly, bake as directed and store in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, reheat for 8 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
Creamy Sour Cream and Chive Dip
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 Tbls fresh or dried chives
Mix all ingredients and chill for one hour before serving.
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