I have a fondness for South Carolina. My Mom moved there more than 10 years ago and we visit at least twice a year. But other than mustard-based barbeque sauce, South Carolina has only one other food claim-to-fame … shrimp and grits. This is a dish I always seem to order in restaurants (I know I always say that, but as you can probably figure out, I love food and have a lot of favorites!), but while I’m rarely disappointed, I’m rarely wowed. Though it’s a low country (coastal) specialty, I have found it served all over the state and all over the South, for that matter.
You might recall in earlier articles, I have stated that farm raised shrimp from Asia are a very good (and far cheaper) alternative to shrimp caught from the Carolina coast. For the record, I can’t in good conscience recommend you use anything but fresh Carolina shrimp when making shrimp and grits. I will also give you fair warning that the dish seems pretty simple (shrimp, gravy, grits), but to make it well takes a lot of dedication and effort … though I will provide acceptable shortcuts to cut down on prep times where possible.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds large shrimp (large usually refers to 21-25 shrimp per pound), peeled and deveined, shells reserved
- 1 small onion, rough chopped
- 1/2 head garlic
- 1 stalk celery, rough chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 10 peppercorns
- 4 slices of thick-cut bacon, diced
- 1 bunch scallions, chopped
- 1 cup stone ground grits (if you want to use instant grits, just stop reading this recipe now)
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Time To Cook
Okay, a few clarifications first. I meant what I said about instant grits. To quote My Cousin Vinny: “No self-respecting Southerner uses instant grits.” Some recipes call for water or milk, or both, but I’ve found that chicken stock or chicken broth gives the grits better flavor. If you have to, you can use water. If you don’t want to make the shrimp stock, you can substitute chicken broth in the gravy. If you can, try to get shrimp with the heads on, so you can use the heads and the shells in the shrimp stock. I usually recommend at least 6 large shrimp per person. If you can’t find large shrimp, I would recommend at least one dozen medium shrimp per person.
To make the stock, peel the shrimp and reserve the shells. In a small stockpot or large sauce pan, saute the shrimp shells, onions, garlic and celery in a little oil until the shrimp shells are pink. Add 4 cups of water, the peppercorns, and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Simmer over med-low heat for 45 minutes. Use a spoon to skim any foam that rises to the top and stays there. Strain the solids out and return the strained stock to the sauce pan. Bring the stock back to a boil and reduce to 2 cups. Set aside.
In a large sauce pan (I prefer non-stick for grits), bring the chicken broth and milk to a boil. Whisk in the grits a little at a time to insure there are no lumps and that all of the grits don’t settle on the bottom of the pan and burn. Return to a boil while stirring constantly and then reduce heat to medium-low, stirring occasionally so the grits don’t stick to the bottom of the pan and burn. Cook for 20-25 minutes. The grits are done when they are creamy and smooth. Add the cheese and 1 tablespoon butter. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste, cover and set aside.
In a saucepan, brown the bacon over medium heat until the bacon is crispy. Add the other tablespoon of butter and the shrimp, and continue to cook over medium heat until the shrimp are 75% cooked (until they are barely pink and not pink for more than a few seconds – if you cook the shrimp all the way here, you will have overcooked shrimp in the dish, which will also get you beat up in South Carolina).
Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon (being careful not to remove too much of the bacon drippings or butter) and set aside. Add 2 tablespoons of flour to the pan and whisk to make a roux (still over medium heat). Be sure to stir constantly so the roux doesn’t burn. Cook the roux for 2 minutes, or just enough time to cook the raw flour taste out, but not enough time to darken the roux. Whisk in the shrimp stock and stir vigorously to smooth out any lumps. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally with the whisk. Add the shrimp and the scallions and simmer for no more than one minute (remembering that overcooked shrimp will get you beat up).
Spoon one cup of the grits into a bowl. Top with 1/2 cup of the shrimp gravy (and 1/4 of the shrimp). Be sure to spread the shrimp out evenly between all of the portions or you might have a mutiny on your hands. Top with additional cheddar cheese and/or additional scallions if desired. Eat immediately (otherwise the shrimp will overcook and the grits will get too thick). This really isn’t a dish to cook and hold hot for more than 5 minutes.
