Southern Shrimp and Grits
You’ve heard the old saying…if I had a dollar for every time I made this dish. Yes…this delicious Shrimp and Grits is one of those dishes that has friends and family oohing and ahhing. I have so far converted everyone who said they didn’t like grits or had never had grits before.
About four years ago we took a beautiful road trip through Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina and South Carolina. I made it my mission to sample this classic, southern dish in all 4 states. I ordered it in Knoxville, Nashville, Lexington, Asheville and of course Charleston. It’s the kind of classic dish that comes in as many different varieties as the cooks who lovingly prepare it.
I’m happy to share with you my version of this smoky, salty, sweet, and spicy bowl of goodness.
Enjoy it ya’ll!
Southern Shrimp and Grits
Ingredients
Cheesy Quick Grits
- 3 cups milk
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup QUICK cooking grits
- 1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
What you'll need for the spicy shrimp
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 3 tbsp bacon grease
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1.5 tbsp cajun spice mix
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 2-3 tsp bottled hot sauce (Crystal/Louisiana)
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
For the Cheesy Grits
- In a large saucepan, bring milk, water, butter, salt and pepper to boil over medium high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium and slowly whisk in the quick cooking grits.
- Cook for about 5 minutes on a low simmer until thick, stirring often.
- Remove from heat, stir in parmesan cheese. Put lid on to keep warm
For Shrimp
- In large, deep skillet, brown bacon until crisp. Remove cooked bacon from skillet (set aside for later) Retain 3 tablespoons of the bacon grease.
- Over medium heat, saute onion in 3 tablespoons of the bacon grease for about 5 minutes.
- Add cajun spice blend and crushed red pepper flakes to onions. Saute for 1 minute.
- Add cherry tomatoes, saute 2 minutes.
- Add chicken stock. Stir gently and cook 2-3 minutes.
- Add hot sauce and raw shrimp. Cook 1-3 minutes, just until shrimp becomes pink.
- Add in pre-cooked bacon. Stir and remove from heat.
- Serve hot shrimp mixture over cheesy grits. Top with thinly sliced scallions. Add more drops of your favorite hot sauce to spice things up even more.
