Southern Model 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 acquired 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.

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 arrange, hearty and filling, whereas delivering large 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 acquired a scrumptious meal that’s positive to turn out 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 greatest management the flavour. It’s a fantastic 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 accommodates components to forestall 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 depart tails on or take away them earlier than cooking..
• Garlic: Freshly minced garlic gives one of the best taste, however jarred minced garlic works too.
• Bacon: Use normal bacon or thick-cut. You’ll need to use precise bacon, moderately than pre-cooked, as a result of you can be cooking the shrimp within the leftover bacon fats.
• Lemon Juice: Bottled lemon juice works properly and retains prep to a minimal, however freshly squeezed all the time has one of the best taste.
• Sizzling Sauce: Prime off together with your favourite sizzling sauce.

Shrimp Choices

You might have a couple of choices to select from on the subject 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 want to cook dinner with already peeled and deveined shrimp. In the event you use frozen, make sure you thaw them earlier than utilizing.

On the spot vs. White Grits

On the spot grits might cook dinner up quicker, nevertheless, they lack the higher taste of white grits. It’s price it to take the time to cook dinner up the true factor which is able to end result within the creamiest, most flavorful, completely restaurant-quality grits you may make at residence.

Avoiding Lumpy Grits

In the event you’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 explanation for clumping is just not stirring the grits instantly after including them to the liquid. This will trigger the grits to stay collectively and type lumps.

To stop lumps, be sure to stir the grits constantly 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 may simply gently sprinkle them excessive of the boiling liquid.

In case your grits are already lumpy, seize a whisk! Attempt whisking vigorously. In the event you 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 clean them out. Simply don’t overmix.

Regulate the Warmth

For much less warmth: In the event you don’t tolerate spice properly, be at liberty to go away out the recent sauce totally. If you need somewhat spice however not quite a lot of warmth, add a pinch of paprika and chili powder as an alternative.

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 might additionally high with recent jalapeño slices or a sprinkle of purple pepper flakes.