Ingredients

1 (3-pound) boneless Boston pork butt, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Paula Deen’s House Seasoning
1/3 cup all-purpose flour, plus 1/4 cup
4 tablespoons bacon grease
4 tablespoons butter
1 large bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onions, chopped
1 cup diced celery
3 large cloves garlic, minced
4 cups beef broth or water
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons hot sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 (10-ounce) can extra-spicy tomatoes (recommended: Ro’ Tel)
2 to 4 large fresh tomatoes, peeled and quartered
1/2 cup freshly chopped parsley leaves
Grits, recipe follows
Cheese straws, for garnish, if desired

Grits:
2 cups water
1 1/4 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick cooking grits, not instant (recommended: Quaker)
1/2 cup butter

Directions

Spray a cast iron Dutch oven with cooking spray.

Season pork with the House Seasoning. Dust the pork with about 1/3 cup of flour and toss lightly. Heat bacon grease and butter. Brown meat in hot fat and remove to a large bowl using a slotted spoon. Leaving fat in Dutch oven, saute bell pepper, onions, celery and garlic. Brown vegetables and remove to bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving a total of 3 tablespoons of fat to make your roux.

To make roux:
Add about 1/4 cup of flour, stirring constantly and slowly until flour is a nice deep brown, being careful not to burn the flour. Slowly add beef broth or water and stir. Bring to a simmer and add back beef and vegetables. Add bay leaves, thyme, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, salt, and dried basil and stir. Add the extra-spicy tomatoes and simmer for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Just before serving, add fresh tomatoes. Remove bay leaves and stir in the parsley. Serve over hot buttered grits in martini glass with a cheese straw garnish, if desired.

Grits:
In a small pot, bring water, milk, and salt to a boil. Slowly stir grits into boiling mixture. Stir continuously and thoroughly until grits are well mixed. Let the pot return to a boil, cover pot with a lid, lower the temperature, and cook for approximately 30 minutes stirring occasionally. Add more water, if necessary.

Grits are done when they have the consistency of smooth cream of wheat. Stir in half the butter and serve with remaining butter divided equally on top of each portion. Serve with fruit or with a savory meal.