Why it works: Cheddar cheese and cheese match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 984 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓
Hominy Grits
Ingredients
Directions
Cook the grits
Bring water and salt to a boil.
Add grits and cook until thickened.
Add the cheese and eggs
Add shredded cheddar and shredded jalapeno or garlic cheese to the grits.
Stir until cheese melts.
Add a little of the hot grits mixture to the beaten eggs, then mix the rest of eggs into grits.
Add Worcestershire and tobasco sauces.
Bake
Put into greased 9 x 13 inch pan.
Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.
You will know when they are done because they won't.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 7 of 8 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 7 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Cheddar Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 113 |
| Cheese | 1 oz (28g) cheddar | 113 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Soy Sauce | 1 tbsp (15ml) | 9 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Cheddar cheese + cheesetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together984 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Cheddar cheese + buttertop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,436 recipes
Shared aroma: delta-dodecalactone (sweet, creamy).
-
Cheese + buttertop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together7,962 recipes
Shared aroma: delta-dodecalactone (sweet, creamy).
-
Butter + saucetop 15% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together15,338 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
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Butter + eggtop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together118,967 recipes
Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).
Butter and sauce barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 15,338 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Eggs
- Set and bind the grits into a firm, sliceable custard as they bake.
- Instant grits
- Their starch thickens with the hot water into a creamy base that gives the dish its body.
- Cheddar cheese
- Adds fat and savory flavor, and melts smoothly into the hot grits.
- Butter or margarine
- Adds richness and fat for a softer, moister texture.
The step that matters
Temper the eggs. Adding a little hot grits to the beaten eggs first warms them gradually. Pouring eggs straight into hot grits can scramble them, leaving lumps instead of a smooth, set mixture.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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