Southern Type Shrimp and Grits

This iconic Southern dish was historically served as a morning meal. We find it irresistible 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 splash (or extra) of sizzling sauce and a squeeze of recent lemon and also you’ve bought a bowl of Southern consolation prepared in simply 45 minutes.

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

Why Our Recipe

We use white grits for the creamiest grits after which load them up with cheddar cheese.
The shrimp is cooked in bacon grease and garlic to make sure it’s filled with taste.
It’s topped off with a little bit lemon juice, sizzling sauce (after all), bacon, and inexperienced onions.

Spoon full of Southern Style Shrimp and Grits.

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 house life. This Southern staple is straightforward to organize, hearty and filling, whereas delivering huge taste. Buttery, tacky grits mixed with savory bacon and garlic shrimp makes our mouths water! High all of it off with a little bit sizzling sauce and also you’ve bought a scrumptious meal that’s certain to change into a household favourite.

Ingredient Notes

Overhead shot of ingredient for Southern Style Shrimp and Grits.

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 a terrific chef tip.
Butter: We use salted butter so as to add simply the correct amount of salt to boost the flavors of the grits.
Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Freshly shredded melts higher than pre-shredded cheese, which incorporates components to stop clumping.
Shrimp (peeled and deveined): Use massive, 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 gives the perfect taste, however jarred minced garlic works too.
Bacon: Use commonplace bacon or thick-cut. You’ll need to use precise bacon, fairly than pre-cooked, as a result of you can be cooking the shrimp within the leftover bacon fats.
Lemon Juice: Bottled lemon juice works nicely and retains prep to a minimal, however freshly squeezed at all times has the perfect taste.
Sizzling Sauce: High off together with your favourite sizzling sauce.

Shrimp Choices

You will have just a few choices to select from with regards to shrimp, actually it’s various. There are completely different sizes, frozen or recent, veined or deveined, peeled or entire, and all of them work!

For comfort, we desire to cook dinner with already peeled and deveined shrimp. If you happen to use frozen, make sure you thaw them earlier than utilizing.

Instantaneous vs. White Grits

Instantaneous grits might cook dinner up sooner, nevertheless, they lack the higher taste of white grits. It’s value it to take the time to cook dinner up the true factor which can consequence within the creamiest, most flavorful, completely restaurant-quality grits you may make at house.

Avoiding Lumpy Grits

If you happen to’re having points with clumping, don’t fear, you aren’t alone. It’s a typical drawback that may be simply fastened. The commonest reason for clumping just isn’t stirring the grits instantly after including them to the liquid. This may trigger the grits to stay collectively and type lumps.

To forestall lumps, ensure to stir the grits repeatedly for the primary jiffy after including them to the liquid. Stir, stir, stir!

Add grits a little 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! Strive whisking vigorously. If you happen to can’t whisk them out, add a splash of sizzling water and maintain whisking till the clumps dissolve. For further cussed clumps, you possibly can even use an immersion blender briefly to clean them out. Simply don’t overmix.

Small bowl full of Southern Style Shrimp and Grits.

Alter the Warmth

For much less warmth: If you happen to don’t tolerate spice nicely, be at liberty to depart out the recent sauce completely. If you’d like a little bit spice however not a whole lot of warmth, add a pinch of paprika and chili powder as a substitute.

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

Storage and Reheating Directions

Refrigerate leftovers in an hermetic container for as much as 3 days.

Reheat leftover grits in a saucepan on low warmth. Add a little bit little bit of water or rooster broth to maintain the grits from drying out, and stir sometimes to make sure that they warmth via evenly.. Reheat the shrimp in a skillet over medium warmth which can solely take 1 to 2 minutes.

Microwave the grits in 30-second increments till warmed via. Add a small quantity of water to the grits to skinny out as wanted. Add shrimp on the very finish or reheat individually as they reheat a lot sooner and can get rubbery when overcooked.

Freeze leftover grits in an hermetic container or resealable plastic freezer bag for as much as 3 months. Whenever you’re able to eat them, thaw within the fridge in a single day and reheat as traditional.