Description
Classic Southern Shrimp and Grits recipe featuring creamy, cheesy grits topped with savory shrimp cooked in a flavorful bacon-garlic sauce. This comforting dish is perfect for a hearty breakfast, brunch, or dinner and comes together in about 35 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Grits
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup old fashioned grits
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Shrimp and Sauce
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 5 green onions, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound large shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken or seafood broth
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Hot sauce, to taste
Instructions
- Make the Grits: Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large pot, then add 1 teaspoon of salt. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of old fashioned grits to prevent lumps. Reduce the heat to low and loosely cover the pot. Simmer, stirring frequently, for 20 to 25 minutes until the grits reach your desired tenderness and consistency.
- Add Cream Cheese and Butter: Cut 2 ounces of cream cheese and 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter into chunks and stir them into the hot grits until fully melted and combined, resulting in rich, creamy grits.
- Cook the Bacon: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook 4 slices of chopped bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set on paper towels. Leave about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pan, discarding the rest or saving it for another use. Increase the heat to medium-high.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add 5 thinly sliced green onions to the skillet with the bacon grease and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add 4 cloves of minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Cook the Shrimp: Season 1 pound of peeled and deveined large shrimp with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Add the shrimp to the skillet, adding more bacon grease if needed. Cook shrimp for about 3 minutes until pink and nearly cooked through. Remove shrimp and bacon from the pan and set aside.
- Make the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour with 1 cup of chicken or seafood broth until smooth. Pour this mixture into the skillet, scraping the bottom to loosen any browned bits. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the juice of 1 lemon and a few dashes of hot sauce.
- Combine and Serve: Return the cooked shrimp to the skillet and stir to coat in the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately by spooning the shrimp and sauce over the creamy grits. Top with the crispy bacon pieces and additional sliced green onions if desired.
Notes
- Use old fashioned grits for best texture; quick-cooking grits will alter consistency.
- Adjust the amount of hot sauce depending on your spice preference.
- Save extra bacon grease for additional flavor in other dishes.
- For a lower fat version, drain excess bacon grease and reduce butter usage in grits.
- Seafood broth enhances shrimp flavor but chicken broth works well as a substitute.
