Shrimp and Grits - Sauteed shrimp with bacon, garlic, and green onion served over creamy, stone-ground grits with cheddar cheese.
This great old southern classic, Shrimp and Grits, is an example of low-country cooking at its absolute best. Using readily available local ingredients to produce something so mouth-watering, so delicious that it almost takes your breath away.
The recipe is thought to have originated as a breakfast dish along the Carolina coast. Most people say that it was generally unknown outside of the low country until Craig Claiborne wrote an article about it in 1985 for The New York Times.
It may have taken an introduction from The New York Times to bring the dish to the national consciousness, but it has certainly become a sensation on its own. Even Bobby Flay, best known for open-flame grilling and southwestern cuisine, says in Bobby Flay Cooks American, "If there is one dish that makes me want to march down Fifth Avenue waving the American flag, it's shrimp and grits."
Now, there are about as many recipes for this southern classic as there are cooks and this is my version. Others include mushrooms in the recipe and some prefer to serve over plain grits instead of cheese grits.
There are so many variations on the classic combination that one of the most famous of southern chefs, Nathalie Dupree, wrote an entire cookbook on the subject. Browsing through the pages on Amazon, I see so many variations I want to try!
I've enjoyed Shrimp and Grits in many restaurants, but the best I've ever had were at Blackstone's Cafe in Beaufort, South Carolina. Maybe I was especially hungry that morning, but that serving of Shrimp and Grits was one of the best things I've ever eaten in my life. If you ever find yourself in that area between Savannah and Charleston, be sure to stop by Blackstone's. You'll be glad you did!
How to Make Shrimp and Grits
Combine the shrimp with the lemon juice and Tabasco. Set aside while preparing the grits and sauce.
Chop the onion, green pepper, garlic, and scallions and set aside.
Prepare the grits and hold over very low heat until needed.
In a large sauté pan over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until brown but not yet crisp.
Add the onion, green pepper, and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Add the scallions, sprinkle the flour over the mixture and continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes.
Stir in the stock or broth and salt. Cook for a minute or two until sauce is thickened.
Add the shrimp to the sauce and cook until shrimp are opaque – no more than three minutes!
To serve – ladle a generous amount of grits into a shallow bowl and top with shrimp and sauce.
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Shrimp and Grits
Ingredients
For the shrimp:
- 1 pound medium shrimp peeled and halved lengthwise
- Juice of a lemon
- 6 dashes Tabasco sauce
- 4 slices bacon chopped
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- ¼ green bell pepper finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons chopped scallions
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chicken broth or stock
For the cheese grits:
- ½ cup quick-cooking grits not instant
- 2 cups water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- couple dashes garlic powder
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese grated
Instructions
- Combine the shrimp with the lemon juice and Tabasco. Set aside while preparing the grits and sauce.
For the cheese grits:
- Bring the water and salt to a boil in a smallish saucepan.
- Add the grits to the boiling water using a whisk. Using the whisk ensures that you don’t get lumps in your grits.
- Now cover the pot, lower the heat to a simmer and cook the grits according to the package directions.
- When the grits are done, stir in the black pepper and garlic powder.
- Next, add the grated cheddar and stir until well blended.
- Hold the finished grits over a very low heat until needed.
Finish making the shrimp and sauce:
- In a large sauté pan over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until brown but not yet crisp.
- Add the onion, green pepper and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
- Add the scallions, sprinkle the flour over the mixture and continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes.
- Stir in the stock or broth and salt. Cook for a minute or two until sauce is thickened.
- Add the shrimp to the sauce and cook until shrimp are opaque – no more than three minutes!
- To serve – ladle a generous amount of grits into a shallow bowl and top with shrimp and sauce.
- This makes two generous servings of Shrimp and Grits. Multiply as needed.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
Tess Yvone Rikard-Ruiz (Yvone Hodges from HS) says
Hi Lana,
I've never made shrimp & grits before; however, after Bill Lane posted your recipe, I decided I would try it. Oh my gosh!! It was fabulous! The sauce deserves "gourmet" as part of the title. Can't wait to make the sauce and serve it over rice. Thanks for sharing!
Lana Stuart says
Hi Yvone! So nice to hear from you. I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Shirley says
This is delicious! I was born and raised in the South and grew up on grits........Love them!
For this recipe, try cooking grits in chicken broth instead of plain water then, when done, add 2-3 tablespoons half and half or heavy cream and stir before adding cheese. These additions take the grits to another level. You're welcome.... 😁
Carolyne Jones says
I do the same thing but add Old Bay to shrimp and extra Old Bay to sauce and also add a few Tbsp. tomatoe paste to give the sauce a nice rich flavor and color. I got hooked on Shrimp n Grits at Paiges Okra Grill in Mt. Pleasant, SC.
Lana Stuart says
Sounds great!
Shirl Hundven says
Im from Ca, and afriend who lived in the south because of husband being in military learned to make cheese grits. Oh my GOSH! I was in love with grits. Now I really want to try the shrimp grits! ! I make grits with pork belly for my girlfriends husband who is from w. Virginia , She does not know how. Went to new Orleans looking for grits and good collards greens. Nothing except plain old grits they were nasty. Thank you so much for these recipes. Will enjoy. Shirl
Samuel Guy says
I'm suprising my wife with this tasty looking recipe tonight and can not wait to get started! My co-workers are getting tired of me talking about it all day. Is it going to be ok to use the instant grits Lana? I'll be trying some of your other great looking recipes here soon too!!
Lana says
Sam - I surely would not use instant grits! They're nothing like the "real" thing :-) and the quick cooking grits only take about 5-10 minutes.
Samuel Guy says
Hey Lana. I made the Shrimp and Grits and it worked out great! My wife and I loved them. I had a question about egg yolks though. I am trying to make a Garlic Aioli sauce and the recipe I found calls for mixing raw egg yolks with lemon juice and there is not cooking involed... Is it safe to eat raw egg yolks when mixed with lemon juice? Didn't know if the acids in the juice have any role in this? Oh, and if you have a good garlic aioli sauce recipe I'd love to try it, thanks!
cecia brown says
lord jesus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i can't wait to get started. love the recipes with shrimp.
Linda says
Lana, I am a southern girl also, and I have eaten shrimp and grits all over the south. If it is on the menu, I order it. This is my first time on your website. Beautiful pictures and recipes that I will definitely try, starting with s & g.
Lana says
Thanks for visiting, Linda. I hope you'll find some old favorites and a few new things to try here.
Susan Mallery says
When I lived in Texas, I tried grits, but only as a breakfast side. Will it shock you to know that I've never even heard the phrase "shrimp and grits"? This sounds like something I should try... as soon as my diet is over.
Lana says
Oh, no! It takes a lot more than that to shock me, Susan :-)
DessertForTwo says
Oh my lands. Just the phrase 'shrimp and grits' is enough to make my stomach growl at any time of day! This looks heavenly! I think my recipe might be identical.
Paula (Bell'alimento) told me about your site-I'm so happy to find it! :) It's nice to meet a fellow Southerner!
Lana says
So glad you found me! And many thanks to Paula for the recommendation!
Drick says
ain't nothing better Lana - great way to start off a new year is with an old classic and you sure got one going here, just perfect, and I've made my share of this one to know