Grits vs. Cornmeal vs. Polenta: What’s the Difference?

They all look alike, so what's the deal with grits vs. cornmeal? And where does polenta fit into the mix?

Most of us are pretty familiar with sweet corn: pull back the husk, remove the silk and use it to make your favorite fresh corn recipe. Field (or dent) corn, on the other hand, is a whole different thing. This corn is starchier than its sweet cousin, so you can’t eat it straight off the cob (but livestock can!). When it is grown for people, it’s either treated with lye to create hominy or masa harina for corn tortillas, or ground up to make cornmeal, grits and polenta.

All of these items are ground corn products, but is there actually a noticeable difference between them? We take a deeper look at each one to determine when it’s best to opt for grits vs. cornmeal, and whether you can substitute grits for polenta.

Cornmeal

Quite simply, cornmeal refers to any ground, dried corn. It may be white or yellow, depending on the type of corn used. With just slight differences in flavor, the two may be used interchangeably. Blue cornmeal also exists, but it’s more of a specialty product.  

The most important distinction for cornmeal is whether it’s whole-grain or degerminated. Like wheat and other grains, corn kernels consist of three parts: the oil-rich and vitamin-packed germ or heart; the fibrous hull; and the starchy endosperm. Whole-grain cornmeal contains parts of all three and thus boasts a fuller, richer taste and twice the nutritional value of the other. But because the germ is high in oil, wholegrain cornmeal turns rancid quickly if not stored in the freezer or refrigerator. For this reason, most supermarket shelves are stocked with degerminated cornmeal. Typically, this cornmeal is also hulled to create a finer texture.

Cornmeal also varies by the grind—fine, medium, and coarse—although product labels don’t always make this distinction. Medium- and fine-grain meals are most often used in baking because the finer the grind of the meal, the lighter the texture of the confection. The tradeoff is a less apparent corn flavor. The coarsest grind is typically reserved for rustic puddings and polenta (although when you want to appreciate the full texture of the grain, use some coarse meal in cornbread).

Unless a recipe explicitly calls for coarse cornmeal, do not use it. Coarse cornmeal cooks for a long time before losing its granular bite. That’s why it is used in recipes that call for polenta or yellow grits. When coarse cornmeal is incorporated in a dish that does a relatively quick stint in the oven (say, cornmeal bread), the result will be gritty—pebbly, even. Some recipes simply say “cornmeal” without calling out a specific kind. In those cases, you can almost always use either fine or medium grind. Just know that a medium grind will give you some texture, while a fine grind is more about corny flavor than the way it feels when you chew. (Corn flour is even more finely ground and comes in handy for gluten-free baking.)

And, by the way, if the packages don’t specify the texture (which, yep, sometimes they don’t), it’s safe to assume you’re getting either a medium or fine grind.

You may also see cornmeal labeled stone-ground. This is whole-grain cornmeal that’s been milled by traditional rather than modern methods. Modern, high-speed mills heat up the grain, deteriorating the taste and quality of the oily germ. So for more true corn flavor, look for stone-ground cornmeal. Some millers sift their stoneground cornmeal to remove some of the hull and refine the texture.

Although cornbread and corn muffins are the most popular use of cornmeal, it does have other cooking applications. You could use it instead of grits or polenta in recipes, but the resulting dish will turn out smoother. It’s also great to use instead of flour to bread fish fillets or dusting the bottom of bread or pizza with cornmeal to keep it from sticking in the oven. If you want to do something different, try making Kentucky Spoon Bread or use it to make a sweet dessert cake.

Generally if Cornmeal Mush is a breakfast porridge it is eaten with maple syrup or honey and cream or butter and would be a softer consistency. Fried cornmeal mush is an old-fashioned recipe that has been around for years. It is great for breakfast served with eggs and bacon or sausage. Just add some butter and syrup poured over the top like you would pancakes.

There are several other products you’ll see in stores that are essentially still cornmeal but are labeled something else because of the way they’re used. In essence, grits, polenta, and masa harina are all forms of cornmeal, though they’re not typically used to make cornbread.

Grits

Grits are a staple in Southern cuisine. Although the term grits comes from the British word for any coarsely ground grain, it has come to refer to a very coarse grind of cornmeal. Grits may be white or yellow, and is commonly made from hominy (called pozole in Mexico and in the Southwest). Hominy is whole-kernel corn that has had both the germ and hull removed either chemically with pickling lime (calcium hydroxide) or mechanically through steaming. After an overnight soak, the alkaline solution loosens the corn’s hull and softens the kernels. The process also makes the corn more nutritious, releasing the corn’s niacin so it’s fully digestible by our systems. Then, the hominy is dried and ground up to make grits. More flavorful whole-grain grits are harder to find but are available from a few mail-order sources.

Literally translated from Spanish as dough flour, masa harina is a very fine cornmeal made from hominy. Masa harina is traditionally stone-ground from the still wet, freshly ground hominy. This freshly ground paste, called masa, is used to make authentic corn tortillas. Because it spoils quickly, the masa is typically dried and then pounded into the longer-lasting masa harina, which is most commonly used as a thickener in soups and stews, such as chili con carne. It’s also used in place of wheat flour in traditional Latin American kitchens.

In the end, the softening of the corn kernels makes grits softer and creamier than cornmeal and polenta. At the grocery store, you’ll find two varieties of grits: stone ground and instant, usually available as white or yellow corn. Instant grits are partially cooked before they’re dried, so they cook up in as little as 10 minutes. Stone-ground grits, on the other hand, are a whole-grain product, so they’re more nutritious, but they take longer to cook (30 to 45 minutes) until the corn is softened.

Most people cook grits with water but add lots of butter and cheese to improve their somewhat bland flavor. You can eat them in the traditional way, or whip up a grits casserole, enjoy them for breakfast or turn them into dessert pie.

Polenta

Last but not least, polenta is similar to grits with one notable exception: the dried corn isn’t treated before it’s ground. Think of polenta nowadays as a form of Italian “grits.” Southern grits are made with dent corn while authentic Italian polenta is usually made from flint corn. That means the starches in polenta are harder and tend to have a slightly grittier texture (don’t worry; they still cook up creamy and porridge-like). Historically, it was slow-cooked for hours in the ashes of a farmhouse hearth, until it became soft and smooth.

But, polenta and grits are both medium to coarsely ground cornmeal and may be used interchangeably. Packages of cornmeal labeled as polenta are usually coarser grinds. If you can’t find polenta at the store, you can definitely substitute grits. We recommend using yellow grits when making this swap, as polenta is traditionally a yellow corn product. Instant polenta is made from cornmeal that’s been hydrated and then dehydrated so that it cooks up in minutes. If you can't find any products labeled "grits" or "polenta," substitute medium or coarsely ground cornmeal. Avoid finely ground cornmeal. Don’t use finely ground cornmeal or corn flour which have too fine of a consistency and will give the finished dish a pasty texture.

Polenta is slow-cooked in liquid until the grains swell and the starches are released. At this point, it has a thick, creamy consistency and is ready to be eaten. After is has cooled or been chilled, the consistency changes and it solidifies into a solid piece. In this form, it’s cut into pieces and usually crisped up on the outside. Most polenta recipes use stock or milk instead of water and contain herbs and other savory flavors. You can find dried polenta in the grocery store, but cooked polenta is also available in tubes. Slicing cooked polenta is a favorite way to serve this grain, frying or grilling the slices to create a tasty appetizer or side dish.

Polenta is usually served as a savory dish and is often served as a soft, thick mush. Serve soft polenta, either plain or with herbs or cheese, as a savory side dish. It can be served instead of pasta or rice as an accompaniment to meat sauces, such as Bolognese, a hearty ragoût, or chilis. Or use it as a base for eggs and sausage for breakfast. It could even be eaten like a sweetened breakfast dish, such as cornmeal mush. Cooked polenta can also be cooled until firm and cut into wedges, rounds, or other shapes, which can be baked, grilled, or pan-fried. Firm polenta can be used in much the same way soft polenta, in place of pasta or rice with meat sauces.

Firm polenta can be used to make polenta fries. Cut the polenta into long wedges or strips, coat each with a little bit of olive oil, and then toss these 'fries' into a mixture of breadcrumbs and spices. Bake the fries in a pre-heated 450°F oven for 40 minutes, flipping in the middle. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce on the side.