Shrimp and grits are a staple in the south. The combination of bacon, cheddar cheese, and shrimp is out of this world, and the dish is packed with flavor. Serve it with a salad, and you have a delicious meal. The best part? It’s easy to make.
I usually use more bacon than most recipes call. There’s a simple explanation for that. It’s bacon, that’s why. In the featured image, I used less bacon, so you can see that I don’t always go overboard with bacon. Just most of the time.
Where Did Shrimp And Grits Originate?
The South. Specifically, South Carolina. And for over 70 years now, it’s been a very popular dish, especially in the south. This dish is just packed full of flavor. It’s robust, and you won’t walk away hungry. I don’t know how they prepare them in South Carolina, but this is a New Orleans shrimp and grits recipe.
It doesn’t really matter where it originates as long as it ends up on your dining room table. Well, because it’s that good. There is even a shrimp and grits casserole recipe that I’m dying to try. But that recipe calls for gouda cheese, and that sounds just perfect.
The first time I had grits as a kid, I didn’t know what to make of them. As I got older, I learned to appreciate them. I used to chop up bacon in them and mix it up. We all have our favorite tricks with grits in the south. And mixed with bacon, shrimp, and cheese, the grits are exceptionally packed with flavor.
What Kind Of Grits Should I Use?
As for the grits, we will cook them in 2 cups of chicken broth and 2 cups of water. Use stone-ground grits. I use sharp cheddar cheese with the grits, but you can use mild. You can use white or yellow grits, but the latter is my preference.
This is the best shrimp and grits recipe. I can prove it because it’s in print, so it must be true. But seriously, this recipe is everything. And it preps in only 15 minutes, including shelling and deveining the shrimp. And serve them with a Chardonnay, and you’ll be blown away. Or, and stay with me here for a second, you could send me the Chardonnay. Look, it was worth a try. Don’t look at me like that.
It doesn’t get better than that. This recipe is one of those dishes that I look forward to making. It’s simple, with few ingredients, but it has flavor. Lots of it.
Would Shrimp And Grits Be Considered Comfort Food?
Oh, it sure would! And this is the same way the best restaurants in New Orleans serve shrimp and grits. I’m nothing if not humble. In the south, we love grits. But they’re even better with butter, cheese, salt, and freshly cracked pepper in them. This dish just hugs your soul. It is the perfect comfort food. I think I’m drooling right now. Yikes.
This recipe is super simple to make, but it is absolutely delicious. And, yes, it has bacon. Lots of scrumptious bacon. OK, this calls for an image of bacon because it’s bacon, that’s why. Yes, I am addicted to bacon. Why do you ask? The first step in overcoming an addiction is to admit you have a problem, so I’m doing pretty good, huh? Don’t judge me, man.
Let’s get it going.
Serves 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon
- 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- A pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 cup stone-ground grits
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
- 4 tablespoons butter, cubed
- 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1 pound of jumbo or large shrimp, peeled & deveined
- 2 cloves of minced garlic
- ¾ cup diced scallions
Freshly chopped parsley for garnish - Let’s go!
- Fry the bacon. I usually cut mine in pieces before frying, but you can do it afterward. Remove the bacon and leave several tablespoons of grease in the pan.
- Boil chicken broth and water in a saucepan. Add salt and pepper. When it comes to a boil, reduce the heat, then add your grits.
- Continuously stir the grits, so there won’t be any lumps. That’s the trick to making grits. They need to cook for around 15 minutes.
- Add the cheese and butter.
- Shell and devein shrimp. Pat dry, then add Creole seasoning. I use Slap Ya Mama. Add the shrimp to the bacon grease.
- Add garlic, and stir. When the shrimp turns pink in a few minutes, stir in the bacon and scallions.
- Stir for a few minutes, then serve the shrimp over the grits. Garnish with parsley; then you are done. Let’s eat!
Nutrition:
Shrimp And Cheesy Grits
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon You can use less bacon.
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup grits Stone-ground, yellow
- 4 tablespoons butter cubed
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
- 1 pound shrimp Jumbo or large, peeled and deveined
- 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning I use Tony's or Slap Ya Mama
- .5 lemon, juiced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3/4 cup scallions diced
- parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Fry the bacon. I usually cut mine in pieces before frying, but you can do it afterward, too. Remove the bacon, and keep several tablespoons grease in the pan.
- Boil chicken broth and water in a saucepan. Add salt and pepper. When it comes to a boil, reduce the heat, then add your grits. Continuously stir the grits, so there won’t be any lumps. That’s the trick to making grits. They need to cook for around 15 minutes, then add the cheese, butter, and lemon juice.
- Shell and devein shrimp. Pat dry, then add Creole seasoning. I use Tony’s or Slap Ya Mama. Add the shrimp to the bacon grease. Add garlic, and stir for about 30 seconds. When the shrimp turn pink in a few minutes, stir in the bacon and scallions. Stir for a few minutes, then serve the shrimp over the grits. Garnish with parsley, then you are done.
- Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
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