Don't Turn On The Stove If You Want To Achieve Perfect Polenta

Polenta is perfect in all its forms (and there are many!), as it provides an ideal canvas for a host of other flavors, mix-ins, and toppings. It's a maverick of an ingredient, and if you're not using it regularly in your cuisine, you are missing out. Polenta's only downside is that it can be a bit time consuming to prepare, traditionally requiring a stove top and a careful eye to watch while constantly stirring over low heat. It doesn't have to be such an arduous task, though. In fact, it turns out you hardly have to use the stove at all. 

There's a much easier way to make sure you get the perfect rich and creamy polenta, and surprisingly, it requires that you turn the stove off and walk away. It's true — the best way to make polenta is to do it passively, without watching the stove, while the polenta cooks itself. And it's all thanks to hot broth.

There's no reason to talk yourself out of polenta when it's this easy to cook. The secret to the ease behind this method has to do with using already hot broth to do most of the work. Instead of combining polenta and water or stock on the stove, this method requires getting a pot of broth simmering beforehand. Once it's boiling, turn off the heat and add the polenta gradually, whisking as you go. Cover, and let the mixture sit for 45 minutes while that polenta absorbs all the broth-y goodness and becomes deliciously rich and fluffy. Mix in some parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper and you're ready to go.

The hot broth hack is perfect because it takes making polenta from an active task to one that's passive. You won't lose time watching and stirring, which means you can focus on the rest of the meal. Not only that, but it's a great way to use up leftover broth or homemade stock you may have on hand, too.

Hot broth makes preparing polenta super easy, but it's not the only polenta hack worth taking note of. After successfully making your polenta, it's time to think about leftovers. The great news is the leftover polenta in your pot is perfect to reuse. As the polenta sits and cools, it forms into a slab-like shape you can cut into slices that are perfect for baking or frying in a pan.

That said, if you're looking for the shortest of shortcuts, it's not a bad idea to keep a tube of prepared polenta in the pantry. In a real pinch, if you're craving polenta, grits can make an easy substitute. They're not technically the same, though. Debbie La Bell, Director of eCommerce for Hayden Flour Mills, told Food & Wine, "Traditionally, polenta is made from yellow corn and grits are made from white corn. Polenta is slightly coarser than grits." While they may be technically different, they're also both forms of cornmeal and substituting one for the other will typically work.