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 obtained 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.
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 stuffed with taste.
- It’s topped off with slightly lemon juice, sizzling sauce (in fact), bacon, and inexperienced onions.
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 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 slightly sizzling sauce and also you’ve obtained a scrumptious meal that’s positive to grow to be 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 finest management the flavour. It’s an incredible chef tip.
- Butter: We use salted butter so as to add simply the correct quantity of salt to boost the flavors of the grits.
- Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Freshly shredded melts higher than pre-shredded cheese, which comprises components to stop clumping.
- Shrimp (peeled and deveined): Use massive, uncooked shrimp for one of the best texture. Frozen shrimp can be utilized if thawed correctly. You ca go away tails on or take away them earlier than cooking..
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic offers one of the best taste, however jarred minced garlic works too.
- Bacon: Use customary bacon or thick-cut. You’ll need to use precise bacon, somewhat 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 all the time has one of the best taste.
- Scorching Sauce: High off along with your favourite sizzling sauce.
Shrimp Choices
You may have a number of choices to select from in terms of 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 choose to prepare dinner with already peeled and deveined shrimp. If you happen to use frozen, remember to thaw them earlier than utilizing.
On the spot vs. White Grits
On the spot grits might prepare dinner up quicker, nonetheless, 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 end result within the creamiest, most flavorful, completely restaurant-quality grits you may make at residence.
Avoiding Lumpy Grits
If you happen to’re having points with clumping, don’t fear, you aren’t alone. It’s a standard downside that may be simply fastened. The most typical reason for clumping will not be stirring the grits instantly after including them to the liquid. This will trigger the grits to stay collectively and type lumps.
To forestall lumps, make sure that to stir the grits constantly for the primary couple of minutes after including them to the liquid. Stir, stir, stir!
Add grits slightly 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 preserve 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.
Alter the Warmth
For much less warmth: If you happen to don’t tolerate spice nicely, be at liberty to go away out the recent sauce totally. If you need slightly spice however not a variety of warmth, add a pinch of paprika and chili powder as a substitute.
For extra warmth: Be happy to only add extra sizzling sauce. Or, add 1/4–1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper when cooking the shrimp for much more warmth. You can additionally high with recent jalapeño slices or a sprinkle of pink 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 slightly little bit of water or hen broth to maintain the grits from drying out, and stir often to make sure that they warmth by means of evenly.. Reheat the shrimp in a skillet over medium warmth which is able to solely take 1 to 2 minutes.
Microwave the grits in 30-second increments till warmed by means of. 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 quicker and can get rubbery when overcooked.
Freeze leftover grits in an hermetic container or resealable plastic freezer bag for as much as 3 months. Once you’re able to eat them, thaw within the fridge in a single day and reheat as common.