Shrimp and Grits: The Ultimate Brunch Recipe

Shrimp and grits is a dish that graces many a brunch menu from New Orleans to Charleston and beyond. It’s one of those southern recipes that has a painful beginning during slavery, likely hailing from Mozambique. It was a simple recipe involving corn and shellfish that came to the shores of America during the Transatlantic slave trade and then became a humble and simple fisherman’s breakfast that would never grace the table of a fancy restaurant.

That is of course until the culinary renaissance during the 1980s and into the 2000s when Shrimp and Grits became a staple in fine dining establishments like Commander’s Palace in New Orleans, LA and Magnolia in Charleston, SC; specifically for brunch. Now, this once obscure laborer’s breakfast is a staple of southern cooking that can be found across restaurants in the United States and beyond.

My version is a simple recipe that combines creamy grits with spicy shrimp with a little bacon for the perfect steaming bowl, topped with hot sauce and few green onions. Whether you enjoy it for brunch, dinner, or lunch, this recipe is a simple but delicious southern recipe that will keep you coming back for more.

Serves 4

Suggested Cocktail Pairing:

If you are enjoying this dish for brunch, might I suggest an executive mimosa?

Ingredients:

1 cup of grits

4 cups of water

2 tablespoons of butter

1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

4 slices of bacon

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 Thai chili, minced or a pinch of cayenne

1 pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined

1-2 tablespoons of cajun seasoning

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

Parsley, scallions, and hot sauce to top

Instructions:

1. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the bacon is crisp. Remove the bacon, but keep the drippings.
2. Meanwhile, begin cooking your grits by adding the water, butter, and about a teaspoon of salt to a pot. bring it to a boil and whisk in the grits, reduce the heat to low and cook for 20-25 minutes.
3. Season the shrimp with salt, pepper, cayenne, and cajun seasoning.
4. Heat the bacon drippings and add the garlic and chili and cook for 1 minute before adding the shrimp and lemon juice. Cook for about 2 minutes each side and then add the bacon, and some scallions and parsley.
5. Stir the cheddar cheese into the grits and divide the grits into bowls. Top with the shrimp, any remaining parsley and scallions, and hot sauce to serve.

If you like this recipe, be sure to check out the Venetian version, scampetti con polenta or for more shrimp and Southern inspired recipes, try my shrimp creole!