Shrimp and Grits

Name: Shrimp and Grits
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: United States
Ingredients: 150 g (1 cup) stone-ground or regular grits, not instant; coarse polenta works; 500 ml (2 cups) whole milk; 500 ml (2 cups) water; 5 g (¾ tsp) fine sea salt; 30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter; 80 g (¾ cup) sharp cheddar, grated; 500 g (1 lb) raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, medium-large; 2 g (⅓ tsp) fine sea salt; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 120 g (4 oz) thick-cut bacon, in 1 cm pieces; 1 small onion, finely chopped; 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, chopped; 1 tbsp all-purpose flour; 250 ml (1 cup) chicken stock, Chicken Stock or store-bought; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 1 tsp hot sauce; 2 scallions, sliced

Creamy cheese grits under shrimp in a smoky bacon and pepper gravy

Serves: 4
Hands-on: 30 min
Total: 50 min
Level: Some skill

A Lowcountry breakfast that became a dinner classic across the American South: slow-cooked, creamy grits topped with shrimp in a quick gravy built from bacon fat, peppers and stock. The grits need attention and time; the shrimp take five minutes at the end.

Ingredients

Grits

150 gstone-ground or regular grits (1 cup)not instant; coarse polenta works
500 mlwhole milk (2 cups)
500 mlwater (2 cups)
5 gfine sea salt (¾ tsp)
30 gunsalted butter (2 tbsp)
80 gsharp cheddar (¾ cup)grated

Shrimp

500 graw shrimp, peeled and deveined (1 lb)medium-large
2 gfine sea salt (⅓ tsp)
1 tspsmoked paprika
120 gthick-cut bacon (4 oz)in 1 cm pieces
1small onionfinely chopped
1green bell pepperfinely chopped
2 clovesgarlicchopped
1 tbspall-purpose flour
250 mlchicken stock (1 cup)Chicken Stock or store-bought
1 tbsplemon juice
1 tsphot sauce
2scallionssliced

Allergens: crustaceans, milk, gluten, celery
Origin: United States (South Carolina Lowcountry)

Method

Bring the milk, water and salt to a simmer in a heavy saucepan. Pour in the grits in a thin stream, whisking constantly.
Turn the heat to low and cook, stirring often and scraping the bottom, until thick, creamy and tender, 25–40 minutes for stone-ground (follow the package for regular). Add a splash of water if it gets stiff. 30 min
Meanwhile, toss the shrimp with the salt and paprika. Fry the bacon in a large frying pan over medium heat until crisp, 6–8 minutes. Lift out with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat. 7 min
Add the onion and pepper to the fat and cook until soft, 5 minutes. Add the garlic, then the flour, and stir 1 minute. 5 min
Whisk in the stock and simmer until the gravy thickens to coat a spoon, 2 minutes.
Add the shrimp in one layer and cook, turning once, until pink and just curled, 3–4 minutes; they're done at 63°C (145°F). Stir in the lemon juice, hot sauce and bacon. 4 min
Stir the butter and cheese into the grits off the heat and taste for salt. Spoon into warm bowls, top with the shrimp and gravy, and scatter with scallions.

Why it works

Grits are coarsely ground corn; their starch granules need long, gentle cooking in liquid to swell and burst, which makes them creamy rather than gritty. Pouring them into simmering liquid in a thin stream while whisking stops lumps forming. Bacon fat carries smoky flavor into the gravy, and the flour thickens it so it clings to the shrimp.

Common mistakes

Instant grits are bland and pasty. Use stone-ground or regular.
Not stirring the grits; they stick and scorch at the bottom.
Cooking the shrimp before the gravy is ready. They go in last.

Variations

Without pork: Cook the vegetables in 2 tbsp butter and add 50 g chopped andouille-style smoked turkey sausage or more smoked paprika.
Polenta: Coarse polenta gives a similar result in 30–40 minutes.

Make ahead and storage

Grits stiffen as they cool; reheat with a splash of milk, whisking. The gravy (without shrimp) keeps 2 days; add the shrimp after reheating.

Notes

Check that your grits are certified gluten free if needed; the flour in the gravy can be replaced with cornstarch (slake 2 tsp in cold stock).