Shrimp & Grits
Creamy stone-ground grits with sautéed shrimp, andouille sausage, and tasso gravy.
Prep: 15 min · Cook: 30 min · Total: 45 min · Serves: 4 · Difficulty: Medium · Rating: 5/5 (541 reviews)
INSPIRED BY
A Lowcountry classic that transcends region — from Charleston brunch spots to white-tablecloth restaurants, shrimp and grits is the South's greatest gift to the breakfast table.
Story
I drove two hours out of Charleston one humid morning chasing a rumor about a place near the Lowcountry marshes that ground its own grits, and I got there before they opened and waited on the porch while the cook flicked the lights on. The grits came out the color of old ivory, loose enough to spread but not soupy, with shrimp and a brown gravy pooled in the middle. I've thought about that bowl more than I've thought about some people I've met. The grits are where this dish lives or dies, and the cardinal sin is instant grits or quick grits. You want stone-ground, and you want to give them their full twenty-five to thirty minutes, stirring often, because that's the time it takes for the corn to swell and turn creamy. Cook them in broth and cream, not water. A watery grit is a sad foundation for everything stacked on top. On the shrimp: they cook in two to three minutes and then they keep cooking on residual heat, so pull them the second they curl into a loose C and turn opaque. A tight, rubbery shrimp means you waited too long. The gravy is just the fond from the bacon and andouille deglazed and reduced; that's where the andouille earns its keep, throwing smoke and grease into the pan that the broth lifts back up. This dish migrated from a fisherman's breakfast in the Carolina Lowcountry to white-tablecloth menus, and it got fussier the further it traveled. Don't make it fussy. Good grits, fresh shrimp, smoky gravy, sharp cheddar folded in while the grits are hot. That's the entire argument, and it's a strong one. Salt the grits early and salt them again at the end, because under-seasoned grits taste like wallpaper paste no matter how much cheese you fold in. Keep a little extra hot broth nearby; grits firm up fast as they cool, and a splash of broth loosens them back to that spreadable, creamy state right before serving. Cut the shrimp into the andouille fat and you build the gravy in one pan, lifting the browned bits off the bottom with the broth. Cheddar goes in off the heat so it melts smooth instead of breaking. And serve it the moment the shrimp are done. Grits wait for no one, and neither should you.
By Theo
Ingredients
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 cup stone-ground grits
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 6 oz andouille sausage, sliced
- 4 slices bacon, diced
- 1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth (for gravy)
- 2 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Cook grits in chicken broth and cream over medium heat, stirring often, for 25-30 minutes until creamy. Stir in cheddar and butter.
- While grits cook, crisp bacon in a skillet. Add andouille sausage and cook until browned.
- Remove meats. In the same skillet, sauté garlic 30 seconds.
- Add shrimp, season with Cajun spice, and cook 2-3 minutes per side until pink.
- Add broth to the skillet, scraping up the fond. Simmer until reduced by half for the gravy.
- Serve shrimp and sausage over a bed of cheesy grits. Spoon gravy over top and garnish with bacon and green onions.
Chef Tips
- Use stone-ground grits, not instant — the texture difference is night and day. The grits should be loose and creamy, not stiff. Add more broth or cream if they tighten up while cooking.
Cook's Notes
- **Grits selection:** Stone-ground grits (not instant) make a meaningful difference. They take longer (30-45 minutes) but have more corn flavor and a better texture. Quick grits are acceptable; instant grits are not the same.
- **Shrimp size:** Large (16-20 count per pound) or extra-large (13-15 count) hold up better to pan-frying and stay juicy. Small shrimp overcook in seconds.
- **Make-ahead:** Grits hold well in a double boiler or covered pot off heat for 30-45 minutes. Stir in an extra splash of cream or stock before serving to loosen. Cook the shrimp fresh.
- **Storage:** Grits: 2 days refrigerated. Reheat with cream or water, stirring over low heat. Shrimp are best eaten immediately — reheated shrimp become rubbery.
- **Common mistake:** Cooking the shrimp too long. Shrimp cook in 2-3 minutes total. They're done when they curl into a C shape and turn opaque. An O shape means overcooked and rubbery.
- **Grits tip:** Season the cooking liquid generously before adding the grits. The grits absorb the liquid and most of the seasoning should go in at the start.
- **Doneness cue for grits:** Properly cooked stone-ground grits should be creamy and thick, pulling away slightly from the sides of the pot. Stir in butter and cream cheese or heavy cream off the heat for richness.