this shrimp and grits is worth waiting for

you'll never want instant grits again 🍤

I’ll admit it y’all, until I made this dish I was never the biggest fan of grits. I realize now that I’d really only had bad diner grits. You know the kind, soupy, bland, and just too dang gritty! The kind that need a ton of butter, salt, and hot sauce to be edible. That was until I visited Marsh Hen Mill on Edisto Island in South Carolina, and I found the grits that all those bad diner grits wish they could be.

This shrimp and grits recipe is decadent, creamy, and will absolutely convert anyone that is on the fence about grits.

Ingredients for Grits:

3 cups water
1 cup stone ground grits (I highly recommend Marsh Hen Mill)
1½ cups half & half
1 tablespoon butter

Ingredients for Gravy:

1 cup hot water or seafood broth
½ pound bacon
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 pound raw shrimp
½ cup flour
1 tablespoon butter
4 green onions, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

To Make the Grits:

1. Bring 3 cups of salted water to a boil and add in the grits.

2. Cover the pot and reduce the heat, stirring the grits occasionally as they cook.

3. Add half & half, butter, and continue to cook for one hour, stirring occasionally.

4. You’ll know the grits are done when they are silky and no longer gritty.

To Make the Gravy:

1. While your grits are cooking, heat a skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Chop the bacon into bite-sized pieces (I typically use scissors to do this) and cook the bacon until you reach your desired level of crispness.

2. Using a slotted spoon, collect the bacon and leave the drippings in the pan. Set the bacon aside on a paper towel.

3. Add onion and garlic to the pan, and stir until the onion is translucent.

4. While the onion is cooking, season the shrimp with salt, pepper and any other desired seasonings, sprinkle with ¼ cup flour, and toss to coat.

5. Add butter to your pan and allow to melt. Add the other ¼ cup flour. Stir until the flour mixture is a medium brown.

6. Add in the shrimp and the bacon and stir to incorporate.

7. Stir in your liquid (water or broth) and bring to a simmer. Cook until the shrimp are pink and the gravy has thickened.

8. Add salt, pepper, and other desired seasonings to taste.

9. Serve shrimp and gravy over grits and sprinkle with green onions.

Enjoy!

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