📋Southern Style Shrimp and Grits Recipe

4.50 from 2 votes

📋Southern Style Shrimp and Grits Recipe

Shrimp and grits recipe is a Southern delicacy that comes together quite quickly and is a family’s favorite weeknight meal. It consists of a pile of cheesy, buttery grits topped with seared Cajun-seasoned shrimp along with buttery sauce from the pan drippings and can be served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course, Seafood

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 605kcal

Author: Jyothi Rajesh

Ingredients

Grits-

1 cup stone ground white grits cornmeal
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
¾ cup white sharp cheddar shredded

Shrimp-

1- pound large shrimp peeled and deveined I left the tail on
6 slices bacon sliced into small pieces
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
3 green onions white and green part
3 cloves garlic minced
1 small red bell pepper fire-roasted
1 teaspoon smoked pepper
⅓ cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed

Instructions

Boil chicken stock and water in a large saucepan. Season it with salt.
Slowly pour the grits while whisking them to avoid clumpy grits. Cook on medium-low heat whisking frequently for 5-7 minutes or until creamy. Refer to package instructions for how long to cook grits.
Turn off the heat. Add butter and white cheddar cheese. Whisk until cheese is melted. Keep aside.
In a large skillet cook sliced bacon on medium heat. Once the bacon is browned, remove the crispy bacon using a slotted spoon onto a bowl.
Use the bacon grease in the pan to cook the shrimp. Note - if there is not enough bacon grease, add 1-2 teaspoons of cooking oil to the pan to cook shrimp. Place shrimp on the pan. Sprinkle Cajun seasoning over it, using a spatula spread the seasoning over the shrimp to coat evenly. Cook for 2 minutes, then flip and cook on the other side for another 2 minutes. Remove shrimp onto a plate.
Do not overcrowd the pan while cooking shrimp, cook in batches if needed. Divide the seasoning or add more Cajun seasoning if cooking in batches.
Add butter to the pan. Sauté the white part of the green onion for 30 seconds.
Add minced garlic and sauté it for a few seconds.
Sauté fire-roasted red bell peppers (can use fresh red bell peppers).
Mix in smoked paprika and cook for 20 seconds.
Pour chicken stock, and quickly mix to blend.
Now add heavy cream, Worcestershire sauce. Mix everything together.
If the gravy/sauce turns thick adjust the consistency by adding 1 or 2 tablespoons more stock.
Reduce heat to low, add crispy bacon, cooked shrimp, and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Mix everything to coat the shrimp in the sauce. Let it cook for 2 minutes.
Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Serve hot grits on a plate, and top it with shrimp and some of the gravy from the shrimp. Garnish with green onion. Enjoy while it’s still hot.

Video

Notes

Choose the right grits. Stone-ground white grits are best, you can also use quick grits. Avoid instant grits.

Grits are quite bland. Add flavor to it by cooking it in stock and season with salt.

Avoid clumpy grits. Slowly pour the grits into boiling water while whisking. This will get rid of the clumps.

Use large shrimp, for a better eating experience.

Do not overcook shrimp. It will turn rubbery.

Serve the dish as soon as it’s made, it tastes best.

Nutritional Info – Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided is only a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.

Nutrition