Shrimp and Grits
This popular low-country dish is full of textures, flavors, and down-right deliciousness! Creamy, cheesy grits and a mixture of shrimp, sausage, and more create the ultimate comfort food.
Ingredients
For the Grits:
- 3 cups chicken stock, low sodium
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
- 1 1/2 cups stone-ground grits, NOT instant
- 2 cups white extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup Asiago cheese, shredded
For the Shrimp-Sausage-Bacon-Veggies
- 2 pounds raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails off if you prefer
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly-cracked black pepper
- 1 pound Andouille sausage, sliced 1/2" thick rounds
- 1 pound bacon, sliced, cooked to crispy, reserve 1 tablespoon grease, See Notes
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil or neutral oil
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 yellow onion, diced (red or white onion will work here, too)
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 cup clam juice, or shrimp stock
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauc
- 8 ounces good-quality smoky hot sauce, such as Harmacy's Totec's Tears Hot Sauce
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice, or more to taste
- 1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
Instructions
For the Grits:
- In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the stock, milk, salt, pepper, and garlic up to a boil.
- Add the grits to the liquid, slowly adding while stirring. Give it one last good stir.
- Turn the heat down to low, place a lid on your pan and cook the grits for about 20 minutes, or until thick and creamy.
- Add the two cheeses by handfuls, stirring after each addition. Stir until all the cheese is melted throughout. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Keep warm while cooking the remainder of the meal.
For the Shrimp-Sausage-Bacon-Veggies:
- In a medium bowl, or a gallon zip-top bag, add the shrimp, salt and pepper. Toss to coat the shrimp with the seasonings and set aside.
- In a large, shallow skillet or cast iron (my fav), cook the andouille sausage over medium to medium-high heat until nicely browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside on a few layers of paper towels.
- In the same pan, cook the bacon until crispy and remove from the grease onto a paper towel-lined plate, and set aside.
- Pour off some of the grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.
- Add the shrimp and cook on both sides just until cooked through, but some have nice charring. Remove the shrimp and set them aside on a plate.
- Turn the heat down to medium and heat the remaining ½ tablespoon of oil (or ½ tablespoon of reserved bacon grease). Add the diced bell peppers and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and a little caramelized, about 7 to 9 minutes, depending on your stovetop.
- Turn the heat to medium-low. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds to cook, but not burn. Add the sausage to the vegetable mixture.
- Add the clam juice, worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and lemon juice. Raise the heat to medium and stir to warm through. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
- Evenly divide the cheese grits between four individual bowls. Top with the vegetable mixture, shrimp, bacon, parsley, and green onions.
- Serve warm and thoroughly enjoy.
Notes
The hot sauce here is NOT salsa, nor is it marinara. It’s a thick, chunky sauce with flavors and aromas of smoky chiles and some heat. There are a variety of hot sauces that you can order here from Harmacy Hot Sauce. My favorite jar for this recipe is "Totec's Tears." I have also made this meal with "Cinco," and it was quite delicious, too!
I know I am doing an injustice to this hot sauce, but you could mix a 10-ounce can of drained Rotel with Harissa powder or paste, or a can of chipotle peppers in adobo. The consistency may be somewhat similar. I’ve never actually tried this substitution.
Easy way to prepare the bacon... Open the package, keeping the layered slices intact. Lay the bacon horizontal to you. Using a sharp knife, make cuts vertically through all the layers, all the length of the bacon. Using your hands, break apart the pieces of bacon into your hot pan. Voilá
Like grits? Check out my Jalapeno Garlic Cheese Grits.
Keep in mind if you sub out instant grits, you’ll need to adjust the liquid and cook time.
The nutrition is my best guess, using Samsung Food’s nutritional calculator. There are a lot of ingredients that can be altered due to brands, substitutions, etc.
Nutrition Facts
Shrimp and Grits
Amount per Serving
Calories
1533.16
% Daily Value*
Fat
101.31
g
156
%
Saturated Fat
39.57
g
247
%
Trans Fat
0.15
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
8.48
g
Monounsaturated Fat
22.12
g
Cholesterol
593.45
mg
198
%
Sodium
5446.2
mg
237
%
Potassium
1497.95
mg
43
%
Carbohydrates
55.38
g
18
%
Fiber
5.95
g
25
%
Sugar
11.36
g
13
%
Protein
104.23
g
208
%
Vitamin C
62.01
mg
75
%
Calcium
995.26
mg
100
%
Iron
20.2
mg
112
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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