Caramelized Onion and Pancetta Grits Recipe

Caramelized onions, crispy pancetta, and sprinkles of blue cheese make these buttermilk grits incredibly decadent and packed with flavor. Pancetta, a bacon-esque Italian meat made from pork belly, and its saltiness work wonders with creamy stone-ground grits. Reserve the drippings from cooking the pancetta for caramelizing the sweet onions, adding in fresh sage once tender. The buttermilk adds a subtle, creamy tang to these stone-ground grits, which were inspired by the extraordinary artisan grits made by Jim Barkley's mill, Barkley's Mill, in North Carolina. For his stone-ground grits, Barkley uses vintage gristmills that were refurbished and placed in a pristine millhouse at Barkley's Mill, and the beauty of these old machines is more than stone-deep. Grinding between the vertical stones of the gristmills keeps the corn from overheating during the milling process, protecting the integrity of the whole grain. The freshly ground grits are scooped by hand into cloth sacks, tied closed, and chilled. Those who appreciate corn grits know that this specially-crafted flavor is worth every penny! Grits go well with just about any Southern meal, at any time of day, on any holiday, or with any dish.