How to Cook Grits in a Rice Cooker

Whether you're from Italy and call your grits polenta or you're from the South and call your polenta grits, you're talking about stone-ground cornmeal that cooks by absorbing water, like rice does in a rice cooker. In fact, you can cook any grain that absorbs water in a rice cooker using the same liquid-to-grain ratio, grits and polenta included. Grits require stirring when cooked uncovered, but not in a rice cooker. When cooked in a rice cooker, moisture condenses on the bottom of the lid and drips back onto the grits, which keeps them fluid.

Grits will cool to a solid mass, which you can slice and deep fry, grill or saute. (Image: John Foxx/Stockbyte/Getty Images)

Step 1

Add 1 part grits and 4 parts cold water or stock to the rice cooker. Season the water or stock to taste with kosher salt and cover.

Step 2

Set the rice cooker to the standard or White Rice setting. Come back in about 20 minutes or when the rice cooker switches to Warm mode.

Step 3

Uncover the rice cooker and transfer the grits to a mixing bowl. Stir the grits several times and taste them.

Step 4

Adjust the seasoning with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and butter, if desired. If you are adding freshly chopped herbs, add them while hot.

Things You'll Need

• Cold water or stock

• Salt