Spread cheese to the edge of the warm, bacony grits "crust" to prevent any custard from seeping out while the quiche bakes.
![Bacon-and-Cheddar Grits Quiche](https://www.southernliving.com/thmb/tUl4Evp7e1PhhB5-pJvdxGDXSSM=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/2335401_ibhfo_120_0_0-2000-0f94de93b8c845c898b1ea1d51d69df0-2a86282cf4ad4335bf8acb20010d291f.jpg)
Alison Miksch
Ingredients
-
6 thick bacon slices
-
2 ¼ cups milk
-
2 tablespoons butter
-
½ cup uncooked stone-ground grits
-
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
-
1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
-
2 ½ cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
-
6 large eggs
-
2 ½ cups half-and-half
-
1 cup heavy cream
-
⅓ cup sliced green onions
Directions
-
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon; drain and crumble. Transfer 2 tsp. bacon drippings to a saucepan.
-
Bring drippings, milk, and butter to a boil over medium heat. Gradually whisk in grits, 1 tsp. salt, and ½ tsp. pepper; cook, whisking constantly, 15 minutes or until very thick. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Stir in 1 cup cheese; let stand 10 minutes. Stir in 1 egg; spread in a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray.
-
Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes or until set and browned. Sprinkle remaining 1 ½ cups cheese over warm grits, spreading to edges. Let stand 15 minutes.
-
Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Combine half-and-half, cream, onions, and remaining 5 eggs, 1 tsp. salt, and ½ tsp. pepper. Pour over grits; sprinkle with crumbled bacon. Place pan on a foil-lined baking sheet.
-
Bake at 325°F for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until lightly browned and just set. Let stand 20 minutes. Run a sharp knife around edges of quiche; remove sides of pan.
Tips
Make It Ahead: Bake up to 2 days ahead, and chill. Or prepare the recipe through Step 3, then top with custard and bake when you're ready for a hot quiche on a cold morning.