Southern Style Shrimp and Grits

This iconic Southern dish was historically served as a morning meal. We adore it a lot, we’d have it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. These heat, creamy grits are loaded with butter and cheddar cheese, topped with sautéed shrimp and crispy bacon. Add a touch (or extra) of scorching sauce and a squeeze of contemporary lemon and also you’ve received a bowl of Southern consolation prepared in simply 45 minutes.

For extra Southern consolation meals, strive our Chicken and Dumplings or our Southern Style Red Beans and Rice.

Shrimp and grits is an iconic, Southern breakfast meals. Image New Orleans and Charleston, the place this humble dish is an integral a part of their on a regular basis residence life. This Southern staple is simple to arrange, hearty and filling, whereas delivering massive taste. Buttery, tacky grits mixed with savory bacon and garlic shrimp makes our mouths water! Prime all of it off with a bit scorching sauce and also you’ve received a scrumptious meal that’s certain to develop into a household favourite.

Ingredient Notes

• White Grits: White grits are extra versatile and tackle the flavors of the dish, whereas yellow grits have a extra assertive corn taste.
• Hen Broth: Utilizing a low-sodium possibility lets you greatest management the flavour. It’s an excellent chef tip.
• Butter: We use salted butter so as to add simply the correct quantity of salt to reinforce the flavors of the grits.
• Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese:  Freshly shredded melts higher than pre-shredded cheese, which accommodates components to stop clumping.
• Shrimp (peeled and deveined): Use giant, uncooked shrimp for the perfect texture. Frozen shrimp can be utilized if thawed correctly. You ca depart tails on or take away them earlier than cooking..
• Garlic: Freshly minced garlic supplies the perfect taste, however jarred minced garlic works too.
• Bacon: Use customary bacon or thick-cut. You’ll need to use precise bacon, quite than pre-cooked, as a result of you can be cooking the shrimp within the leftover bacon fats.
• Lemon Juice: Bottled lemon juice works properly and retains prep to a minimal, however freshly squeezed at all times has the perfect taste.
• Scorching Sauce: Prime off along with your favourite scorching sauce.

Shrimp Choices

You’ve got just a few choices to select from in the case of shrimp, actually it’s various. There are completely different sizes, frozen or contemporary, veined or deveined, peeled or complete, and all of them work!

For comfort, we favor to prepare dinner with already peeled and deveined shrimp. For those who use frozen, you should definitely thaw them earlier than utilizing.

On the spot vs. White Grits

On the spot grits could prepare dinner up sooner, nonetheless, they lack the higher taste of white grits. It’s value it to take the time to prepare dinner up the actual factor which is able to end result within the creamiest, most flavorful, completely restaurant-quality grits you may make at residence.

Avoiding Lumpy Grits

For those who’re having points with clumping, don’t fear, you aren’t alone. It’s a standard downside that may be simply mounted. The commonest reason behind clumping just isn’t stirring the grits instantly after including them to the liquid. This will trigger the grits to stay collectively and kind lumps.

To forestall lumps, ensure to stir the grits constantly for the primary couple of minutes after including them to the liquid. Stir, stir, stir!

Add grits a bit at a time whereas stirring to make sure that the grits are evenly dispersed within the liquid. You possibly can simply gently sprinkle them excessive of the boiling liquid.

In case your grits are already lumpy, seize a whisk! Attempt whisking vigorously. For those who can’t whisk them out, add a splash of scorching water and hold whisking till the clumps dissolve. For additional cussed clumps, you possibly can even use an immersion blender briefly to clean them out. Simply don’t overmix.

Regulate the Warmth

For much less warmth: For those who don’t tolerate spice properly, be happy to depart out the recent sauce totally. If you’d like a bit spice however not quite a lot of warmth, add a pinch of paprika and chili powder as an alternative.

For extra warmth: Be happy to only add extra scorching sauce. Or, add 1/4–1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper when cooking the shrimp for much more warmth. You could possibly additionally high with contemporary jalapeño slices or a sprinkle of crimson pepper flakes.