Southern Fashion Shrimp and Grits

This iconic Southern dish was historically served as a morning meal. We like 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 recent lemon and also you’ve received 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.

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 straightforward to arrange, hearty and filling, whereas delivering large taste. Buttery, tacky grits mixed with savory bacon and garlic shrimp makes our mouths water! High all of it off with a bit scorching sauce and also you’ve received a scrumptious meal that’s certain to change 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.
• Rooster Broth: Utilizing a low-sodium possibility lets you finest management the flavour. It’s an amazing 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 incorporates components to forestall clumping.
• Shrimp (peeled and deveined): Use giant, uncooked shrimp for the very best 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 offers the very best taste, however jarred minced garlic works too.
• Bacon: Use customary bacon or thick-cut. You’ll wish to use precise bacon, slightly 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 very best taste.
• Scorching Sauce: High off along with your favourite scorching sauce.

Shrimp Choices

You’ve got a couple of choices to select from relating to shrimp, actually it’s quite a lot of. There are totally different sizes, frozen or recent, veined or deveined, peeled or entire, and all of them work!

For comfort, we favor to prepare dinner with already peeled and deveined shrimp. Should you use frozen, you’ll want to thaw them earlier than utilizing.

Immediate vs. White Grits

Immediate grits might prepare dinner up quicker, nevertheless, they lack the higher taste of white grits. It’s price it to take the time to prepare dinner up the actual factor which is able to outcome within the creamiest, most flavorful, completely restaurant-quality grits you can also make at residence.

Avoiding Lumpy Grits

Should you’re having points with clumping, don’t fear, you aren’t alone. It’s a typical downside that may be simply mounted. The most typical reason behind clumping isn’t stirring the grits instantly after including them to the liquid. This may trigger the grits to stay collectively and type lumps.

To stop lumps, be sure that 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! Strive whisking vigorously. Should you 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.

Modify the Warmth

For much less warmth: Should you don’t tolerate spice nicely, be at liberty to go away out the new sauce solely. In order for you a bit spice however not lots of warmth, add a pinch of paprika and chili powder as an alternative.

For extra warmth: Be at liberty to only add extra scorching sauce. Or, add 1/4–1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper when cooking the shrimp for much more warmth. You would additionally prime with recent jalapeño slices or a sprinkle of purple pepper flakes.