James Beard Award–winning chef Mashama Bailey provides her recipe for fish and grits, which she developed in homage to her grandmother, Geneva, who fried her husband’s fresh catch of the day with white grits and served it for dinner on Fridays.

Chef Mashama Bailey’s Fried Fish and Grits Recipe

Fish and grits is a Southern dish consisting of peppery, cornmeal-crusted fish atop creamy [grits](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-cook-with-grits), a type of porridge made from cornmeal. Traditionally, dent corn—a variety with a dent in the top of the kernel—was the star ingredient of Southern grits. It's relatively soft, which makes it easy to grind. Dent corn comes in various colors, but yellow corn and white corn are the most common. Modern recipes feature an array of grit options: You can make the dish with hominy, stone-ground dried corn kernels, or instant grits made from pre-cooked and dehydrated corn. 

You can use many types of fish to make the recipe, including catfish, tilapia, whiting, [trout](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-pan-sear-trout), Beeliner snapper, or black bass. Some variations on fish and grits feature a creamy sauce to tie the dish together with an added dimension of flavor.
Here are a few common variations of the Southern staple:

1. __Cajun fish and cheese grits__: The fish in this classic recipe receives a generous coating of Cajun seasoning and other spices to amplify the flavor. Cooks use heavy cream, grated cheese (like cheddar cheese, [Parmesan](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-guide-to-using-parmesan-cheese), or pepper jack), and chicken broth to develop the creamy texture commonly associated with cheesy grits.
2. __Fried catfish and grits__: This dish is a popular Sunday dinner in the South, consisting of crispy catfish fillets atop a creamy bed of cheese grits. Some variations on the dish feature a creamy, rich Cajun gravy made with heavy cream, chopped onions, spices, and minced garlic.
3. __Shrimp and grits__: This Lowcountry dish swaps the standard fillets for juicy, marinated shrimp. The traditional recipe involves making stock from shrimp shells, cooking fresh shrimp in bacon fat, and using the bacon-shrimp cooking liquid and the stock to make a flavorful gravy, which tops off the bowl of creamy grits. 
Here are three tips to consider when making fish and grits:

1. __Use stone-ground white grits__. Grits made from coarsely ground dried corn kernels have a more inviting mouthfeel than their instant grit counterpart.
2. __Soak the catfish in milk__. If you’re using catfish for this recipe, you’ll need to soak it in full-fat milk or [buttermilk](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/easy-buttermilk-recipe) at least an hour before cooking to remove any leftover fishy flavor. After an hour, remove the fish and pat it dry with a paper towel.
3. __Cook the grits low and slow__. Cooking the grits on low heat while whisking it often to remove or prevent lumps from forming will help you achieve a silky texture with a luxurious mouthfeel.
James Beard Award–winning chef Mashama Bailey provides her recipe for fish and grits, which she developed in homage to her grandmother, Geneva, who fried her husband’s fresh catch of the day with white grits and served it for dinner on Fridays.

Fish and grits is a Southern dish consisting of peppery, cornmeal-crusted fish atop creamy <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-cook-with-grits' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-cook-with-grits","linkCopy":"grits","category":null}'>grits</a>, a type of porridge made from cornmeal. Traditionally, dent corn—a variety with a dent in the top of the kernel—was the star ingredient of Southern grits. It&#39;s relatively soft, which makes it easy to grind. Dent corn comes in various colors, but yellow corn and white corn are the most common. Modern recipes feature an array of grit options: You can make the dish with hominy, stone-ground dried corn kernels, or instant grits made from pre-cooked and dehydrated corn. You can use many types of fish to make the recipe, including catfish, tilapia, whiting, <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-pan-sear-trout' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-pan-sear-trout","linkCopy":"trout","category":null}'>trout</a>, Beeliner snapper, or black bass. Some variations on fish and grits feature a creamy sauce to tie the dish together with an added dimension of flavor.

An Overview of Fish and Grits

Here are a few common variations of the Southern staple:<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Cajun fish and cheese grits: The fish in this classic recipe receives a generous coating of Cajun seasoning and other spices to amplify the flavor. Cooks use heavy cream, grated cheese (like cheddar cheese, <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-guide-to-using-parmesan-cheese' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-guide-to-using-parmesan-cheese","linkCopy":"Parmesan","category":null}'>Parmesan</a>, or pepper jack), and chicken broth to develop the creamy texture commonly associated with cheesy grits. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Fried catfish and grits: This dish is a popular Sunday dinner in the South, consisting of crispy catfish fillets atop a creamy bed of cheese grits. Some variations on the dish feature a creamy, rich Cajun gravy made with heavy cream, chopped onions, spices, and minced garlic. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Shrimp and grits: This Lowcountry dish swaps the standard fillets for juicy, marinated shrimp. The traditional recipe involves making stock from shrimp shells, cooking fresh shrimp in bacon fat, and using the bacon-shrimp cooking liquid and the stock to make a flavorful gravy, which tops off the bowl of creamy grits. </li></ol>

3 Variations of Fish and Grits

Here are three tips to consider when making fish and grits:<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Use stone-ground white grits. Grits made from coarsely ground dried corn kernels have a more inviting mouthfeel than their instant grit counterpart. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Soak the catfish in milk. If you’re using catfish for this recipe, you’ll need to soak it in full-fat milk or <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/easy-buttermilk-recipe' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/easy-buttermilk-recipe","linkCopy":"buttermilk","category":null}'>buttermilk</a> at least an hour before cooking to remove any leftover fishy flavor. After an hour, remove the fish and pat it dry with a paper towel. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Cook the grits low and slow. Cooking the grits on low heat while whisking it often to remove or prevent lumps from forming will help you achieve a silky texture with a luxurious mouthfeel. </li></ol>

3 Tips for Making Crispy Southern Fish and Grits

Chef Mashama Bailey’s Fish and Grits Recipe

James Beard Award–winning chef Mashama Bailey provides her recipe for fish and grits, which she developed in homage to her grandmother, Geneva, who fried her husband’s fresh catch of the day with white grits and served it for dinner on Fridays.

James Beard Award–winning chef Mashama Bailey provides her recipe for fish and grits, which she developed in homage to her grandmother, Geneva, who fried her husband’s fresh catch of the day with white grits and served it for dinner on Fridays.
