Southern Model 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 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.

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 dwelling 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! Prime all of it off with somewhat sizzling sauce and also you’ve bought a scrumptious meal that’s certain to turn 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 choice means that you can greatest management the flavour. It’s an important 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 incorporates components to forestall clumping.
• Shrimp (peeled and deveined): Use massive, uncooked shrimp for the very 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 gives the very best taste, however jarred minced garlic works too.
• Bacon: Use customary bacon or thick-cut. You’ll wish to use precise bacon, relatively than pre-cooked, as a result of you can be cooking the shrimp within the leftover bacon fats.
• Lemon Juice: Bottled lemon juice works effectively and retains prep to a minimal, however freshly squeezed at all times has the very best taste.
• Scorching Sauce: Prime off together with your favourite sizzling sauce.

Shrimp Choices

You might have just a few choices to select from relating 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 choose to prepare dinner with already peeled and deveined shrimp. For those who use frozen, be sure you thaw them earlier than utilizing.

On the spot vs. White Grits

On the spot grits could 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 dwelling.

Avoiding Lumpy Grits

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

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

Add grits somewhat at a time whereas stirring to make sure that the grits are evenly dispersed within the liquid. You’ll be able to 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 sizzling water and hold whisking till the clumps dissolve. For additional cussed clumps, you possibly can even use an immersion blender briefly to easy them out. Simply don’t overmix.

Alter the Warmth

For much less warmth: For those who don’t tolerate spice effectively, be happy to depart out the new sauce totally. If you need somewhat spice however not lots of warmth, add a pinch of paprika and chili powder as a substitute.

For extra warmth: Be at liberty 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.