Shrimp & Grits Recipe: A creamy, savory Southern-style dish with buttery grits, crispy bacon, tender shrimp, and a quick pan sauce.
By: Chef Charles Nichols
Yield: 8 servings | Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes | Total time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups stone-ground grits (507996)
- 8 cups chicken stock, made from concentrate (167015)
- 4 cups whole milk (066001)
- 6 tablespoons butter, divided (417808)
- 1 lb bacon, diced (348128)
- 4 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail-on optional (371351)
- 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste (597419)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste (624767)
- 2 cups heavy cream (066225)
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning (557645)
- 2 teaspoons Blackened Seasoning (616110)
- 2 large yellow onions, sliced (756106)
- 2 red bell peppers, sliced (758490)
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced (772822)
- 1 bunch green onions, sliced (756585)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, blistered (778001)
Directions:
- In a saucepan, cook the grits in equal parts chicken stock and milk according to the package directions. When desired thickness is reached, stir in a 4 Tbl butter and ½ cup of heavy cream for extra richness and keep warm.
- In a large pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan. Leave the bacon fat in the pan.
- Sweat Onion and Bell Peppers in the pan with the reserved bacon fat.
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels, then season with Old Bay and Blackened Seasoning.
- Add the shrimp to the pan and sauté the shrimp over medium-high, turning, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through. Remove the shrimp from the pan and vegetables from the pan.
- Add 2 Tbl butter and 6 cups chicken stock to the pan. Stir until the butter melts and the stock loosens the browned bits from the pan. Reduce liquid by half and add shrimp and vegetables back to the pan.
- Turn off the heat so the shrimp do not overcook. Spoon the grits into bowls, top with the shrimp, vegetables, and pan sauce. Garnish with the chopped bacon, blistered tomatoes, and green onion.
