Shrimp and grits. You’ll find that dish listed on almost every diner menu in the South. I was not raised in the South, but many folks who read my blog must assume I’m a Southern granny since grandaughter Emma named me Meemaw oh so many years ago.
There are more variations of the shrimp and grits recipe than I can count. It seems everybody has their own “secret” recipe. And those grits can be either white or yellow, depending on the variety of corn that is ground to make that course grain. Once I used a famous Southern chef’s recipe and made it for a tailgate party, and I was embarrassed to serve it. The grits were bland and the shrimp were tasteless. (Thank heavens I did NOT take a photo of that dish!)
Last year I finally made a different version, and it was delicious if I do say so myself. Unfortunately I only took a photo and I didn’t bother to write down my recipe. So now I have this beautiful photo of that dish…but no way to recreate it! UGH!!
So last week I decided to try again. And THAT time I made sure to remember what I did to make those grits sing with flavor. I must say the finished dish wasn’t half bad. In fact it was worth writing down the recipe the minute dinner was over since my memory isn’t what it used to be! So here is that finished dish. Those grits were creamy and brimming with multiple layers of flavor this time. A rea key to that flavor? I simmered the shrimp shells and mushroom stems in the chicken broth before stirring in the grits. And by using Gruyere cheese and adding bacon and mushrooms and butter and cream? Yes please…and thank you!!
So if you’ve got a hankerin’ to try a Southern classic, try my version of shrimp and grits. And get ready for some lip smackin’ goodness.
This dish just goes to prove you don’t have to be a Southern belle to cook like one!
Shrimp And Grits
Ingredients
- 6 Cups Chicken Broth or Stock (DIVIDED)
- 1 lb. Large Shrimp Peeled and Deveined SAVE SHELLS FOR STOCK
- 1 Cup Gruyere Cheese. Grated
- 1 1/2 Cups Yellow Corn Grits (Quick Cooking)
- 6 Strips Thick Cut Bacon Strips
- 3 Green Onions, Diced
- 3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
- 1 box Fresh Portobello Mushrooms, Sliced SAVE STEMS FOR STOCK
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1/4 Cup Butter
- Fresh Parsley, Chopped and Divided
- 1/2 Cup Half and Half (As needed)
- Salt and Pepper, To Taste
Instructions
-
Peel and Devein Shrimp and reserve shells.
-
Slice Mushrooms and reserve stems.
-
Pour 5 cups of chicken stock into saucepan.
-
Add shrimp shells and mushroom stems to chicken stock.
-
Add 1 bay leaf
-
Simmer mixture for about 20 minutes.
-
Strain the mixture and set aside.
-
In a skillet, saute the bacon slices until crispy.
-
Remove and dice the bacon and keep the bacon grease in the skillet.
-
Add the mushrooms and saute until soft.
-
Then add the minced garlic and diced green onion.
-
Add cooked, diced bacon back into the skillet and cook for a minute.
-
Set aside skillet mixture.
-
Bring the saucepan of stock back to a boil.
-
Add the grits to the stock while stirring with a wisk. KEEP STIRRING to prevent lumps!
-
Lower the heat to MEDIUM and cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until grits have thickened.
-
While grits are cooking, reheat the bacon and mushroom mixture and push to one side of the skillet.
-
Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the empty spot and dump the raw shrimp into the oil.
-
Stir the shrimp and cook for several minutes just until they begin to curl and turn pink.
-
Stir in the reserved cup of chicken broth.
-
Then stir the bacon and mushrooms into the shrimp to combine in the skillet.
-
Add a handful of fresh chopped parsley to the mixture.
-
When grits have thickened, remove them from heat and stir in the shredded Gruyere cheese.
-
Add about 1/4 cup butter and stir well.
-
If grits are too thick add enough Half and Half to reach desired consistency,
-
Place a dollop of grits into serving bowl and top with the mushroom bacon shrimp mixture.
-
Sprinkle with chopped parsley
-
Serve immediately...and ENJOY!
What did U do to the shrimp?
Great question Tony! Shrimp and Grits without the shrimp doesn’t make much sense to me either!! 🙁 So sorry I forgot that step! Since shrimp cook so quickly they are the very last piece of the puzzle in this dish. I corrected my mistake and I added the directions in the recipe. I hope you try the dish and I’d love to her from you if you do!
XOXO
Meemaw
You NEVER added the shrimp to the dish here?
I’m SO SORRY for my mistake!!! It’s pretty hard to call a recipe Shrimp and Grits…if there are NO SHRIMP in it! 🙁 I have corrected my mistake and I appreciate your eagle eye for catching it! I hope you like the dish and I’d love to hear from you when you try it!
XOXO
Meemaw
When do you cook the shrimp? Its not in any of the directions…..
Aw NUTS!! I’m so sorry for the confusion! I just corrected my mistake. You can saute them in the same skillet with the prepared bacon mushroom mixture. Or if you want to dirty another skillet you can quickly saute in another pan and then add them to the final dish.. I’m all about saving clean up chores to a one skillet method works for me. 🙂 Thanks again for catching my mistake. And Happy Cooking in YOUR kitchen!!
XOXO
Meemaw
Meemaw’s Shrimp and Grits were a hit at our house tonight Patty! I was a bit nervous, having never made grits or really anything like this before—so I went to your site a couple times during the prep to make sure I had copied your recipe correctly!
My husband could not stop raving about the flavors, the gruyere in the grits, and on and on! Thanks for a fun and confidence-building experience for me, not to mention, “the party in our mouths!” ❤️
Thanks so much for your kind comments Pam!! I’m so glad you loved that dish! And tell your hubby I appreciate his input too!! Cooking is all about making memories…and shrimp and grits is a dish worth remembering in my book!!
XOXO
Meemaw