Bacon, Egg, & Cheese Grits – Cheese grits are topped with a poached egg, chopped bacon, and a drizzle of hot sauce.
Today’s recipe was inspired by a recent breakfast that blew me away. It was so simple but man, did it hit the spot. The breakfast was called “Hangover Grits” because they were loaded with protein and heartiness that would cure any hangover.
The most surprising part about these grits was the hint of hot sauce. I am not a hot sauce person but the vinegar in the sauce and the little heat was just what these grits needed to send them over the edge. I absolutely loved it! I even ended up buying my own bottle of hot sauce to have at home. Pro tip: mac and cheese also tastes incredible with a dash of hot sauce.
For my take on these hangover grits, I’ve got my go-to Southern grits recipe, with two kinds of cheese. I poached my eggs to keep them soft (and to help the egg fit neatly into the bowl). And finally, the bacon is baked in the oven to keep it tender yet crispy.
Without further ado, here are my Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Grits!
The grits
My recipe for grits is unbelievable. So creamy and flavorful and, on top of that, easy to make. The base is part cream and part chicken broth. Spices and butter are added before we stir in the grits.
Once the liquid is boiling, the grits are stirred in slowly. This ensured the grits are cooked evenly. Once all the grits are in the pot, cover and cook on low for about 20 minutes.
Bacon
While the grits cook, bake the bacon in the oven. This is my favorite method for cooking bacon because it requires no babysitting, flipping, or bacon splatter management. Also, cooking it slowly in the oven produces a tender, yet crispy bacon that just melts in your mouth.
Egg
The eggs are poached to help them sit nicely in the grits and also maintain a soft texture. To poach an egg, you cook it in water. This can get tricky because the egg whites can travel all over the water. To help control them, use a little white vinegar in the water.
Assembling the grits
Once the egg is cook, but with a soft yolk, it’s removed with a slotted spot and set atop a bowl of cheese grits. Cooked bacon is crumbled over the top and finished with a dash of hot sauce and chopped chives.
Tips & Tricks
- Don’t use quick grits. This recipe is for stone-ground grits or polenta only. Quick grits will not work because they are done in just a couple minutes and use a different liquid ratio.
- Add grits slowly. This is important to ensure the texture is just right.
- Don’t skip the hot sauce! The hot sauce was my favorite part of the entire dish. It adds just a little heat but the vinegar is what takes the flavors over the top.
Bacon, Egg, & Cheese Grits
Ingredients
For the grits:
- 1 cup grits (not quick-cooking!)
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup water
- 4 ounces butter salted
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon creole seasoning
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- ½ cup Monterrey Jack cheese shredded
For the rest of the bowl:
- 6 strips thick-cut bacon
- 4 eggs
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 4 shakes Louisiana hot sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For the grits:
- Pour the chicken both, heavy cream, and water into a medium sauce pan. Add butter and seasonings and whisk together. Heat mixture over medium-high heat until it begins to boil. Once it's boiling, very very slowly pour in the grits while whisking quickly for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and let cook for 20-25 minutes, or until thick. Stir occasionally.
- Once grits have cooked and thickened, add shredded cheese in batches and whisk together until combined. Taste grits and add hot sauce or salt, if needed.
To assemble the grit cakes:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lay 6 strips of bacon over the sheet. Place in preheated oven to bake for about 20 minutes or until crispy. Remove from oven and transfer bacon to a paper towel to cool.
- Fill wide saucepan with water halfway. Add 2 tablespoons white vinegar. Bring to a slow boil. Gently break one egg into the water. Repeat with other eggs, remembering to give them enough space so they don't touch. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 3.5 minutes until the egg white is set and the yolk is still runny. Remove from a slotted spoon and place each egg on top of a bowl of grits.
- Using your hands (or a knife, if the bacon is on the chewier side), break up the bacon into pieces. Sprinkle over the grits. Shake a couple drops of hot sauce over the bowl. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Notes
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There’s something about this dish that just feels warm and comforting. The creamy texture of the grits paired with the salty bacon and free web games melted cheese sounds like such a perfect balance.
I need to try this for sure! It looks so tasty. I love hot sauce.
We love grits!! Making this for Easter Saturday for our family, cannot wait!
LOVED the spicy flavor of these grits!Will be making these again and again!
Absolutely delicious. The hot sauce on top was the perfect touch! Great recipe!
What a tasty twist on grits! I loved them for brunch!
This is serously satisfying!! Everyone at my house was impressed!
These grits are super creamy! It’s a decadent and delicious breakfast!