It was two years ago, summer, in Kansas City of all places. I’d been attending a trade show, and I’d brought my family along, because this particular show draws a group of friends who long ago also became family. On our last night in town we decided fancy dinner was in order (one can one feed one’s six-year-old so much BBQ, even KC BBQ).
We hit up Pierpont’s at Union Station, where I was served a polenta that has haunted my dreams ever since. I’d never before seen polenta appear gently curd-y, like soft scrambled eggs. Rich with (probably too much0 butter, it was divine. This recipe is my attempt to recreate it.
Snapshot
- Implements: medium heavy pot; whisk; wooden spoon or spatula
- Stove setting: simmer to start, then very low (barely a sheen) for 40–50 minutes
- Batch size: about 4 servings as a creamy side
Ingredients
- 1 cup coarse yellow polenta
- 5 cups liquid (4 cups water + 1 cup milk or stock)
- 1 Tsp kosher salt (adjust to taste)
- 4 Tbsp butter
- ½ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (optional but highly recommended)
- Freshly ground black pepper
Method
Heat the liquid
In a medium heavy pot, bring the water/stock + milk and salt just to a simmer. It shouldn’t be boiling, stop just shy of bubble city.
Add the polenta
Slowly pour in the polenta while whisking gently but constantly so you don’t get lumps.
The patience phase
Turn the heat way down so you barely hold a sheen on the surface. Stir every 30 seconds for the first 5–8 minutes (this hydrates the grains and prevents clumps). After that, stir every minute or two.
Cook for about 40–50 minutes total. The texture you’re aiming for: loosely set, creamy, glossy, moving like soft scrambled eggs when you tilt the pot.
Finish when rich and silky
When it no longer tastes chalky, turn off the heat. Drop in the butter and stir until melted. Stir in the Parmigiano until glossy and cohesive. Season with black pepper and adjust salt.
Rest and serve
Let it rest off heat for 5 minutes, then give it one last gentle stir before serving.
Notes, swaps, and guardrails
What kind of polenta to buy
You want coarse, stone-ground yellow cornmeal. This is not the fine “corn grits” stuff. Look for:
- Italian stone-ground polenta (often labeled polenta gialla or bramata)
- Brands like Bob’s Red Mill Stone Ground Yellow Corn Grits/Polenta or Antimo Caputo Polenta
- If you have an Italian deli or specialty store, ask for fresh milled polenta flour. It is richer and more golden than industrial pale yellow.
Skip instant polenta for this. It will not get that custardy texture because of how it is pre-cooked.
Why this works
- High liquid ratio keeps it soft and spoonable.
- Milk + stock add richness and mouthfeel.
- Slow, low heat + frequent stirring lets the starches swell gently, turning them into a custard instead of paste.
- Butter + cheese are not just flavor. They are the emulsifiers that give that silky, almost egg-like texture.
Serving
Serve with something saucy (mushrooms, ragu, a braise) or keep it simple and let the polenta shine on its own. When you make it, notice how the grains loosen and become glossy. That is the moment you know you are in the realm of best ever polenta.