Southern Shrimp and Grits Recipe

Do you love Shrimp and Grits! Oh good! We do too! Today I’m sharing my family’s favorite Shrimp and Grits Recipe! 

Our Shrimp and Grits Story

Every year my husband and I head to Hilton Head, South Carolina in search of the best Shrimp and Grits! I mean, is there any other reason to go South? We don’t think so!

It wasn’t always this way!

A. We hadn’t been to Hilton Head and B. I wasn’t a Shrimp and Grits fan, my husband was tho!!!

Let me start by telling you how we found this beautiful destination!

Hilton Head has the best shrimp and grits

Several years ago, well, it was at least fifteen years now, we were invited to head to Hilton Head with a few of my husband’s tennis friends. We weren’t able to make that first trip, but decided to head there on our own to check it out at a later date!

We fell in love with this serene, family-friendly, fun, and relaxing South Carolina Island named Hilton Head! (One day soon I’ll do a travel blog of all our favorite places and restaurants in Hilton Head) 

We’ve gone back every year at least once per year and many times two or three times! 

Heading to our favorite destination for beach biking fun, shopping at Tanger Outlets, happy hour at all of our favorite spots, our favorite fish tacos on the beach, gorgeous golf courses, champion tennis matches, and quiet daytime visits to our favorite horse farm, has been a wonderful experience!

Then we found The Best Shrimp and Grits on the Island! I tasted my husband’s and thought, ‘why haven’t I eaten this before’! It was fabulous!  It when then I knew that I’d have to make this when we arrived back home up North!

Unofficially, of course, we consider ourselves Shrimp and Grits experts at this point! After trying this delicious meal at many different restaurants, talking to several ‘southern’ chefs to try and find out their secrets, and experimenting in our own kitchen at home, I’ve got the perfect recipe down pat!

What you’ll need to make shrimp and grits

Ingredients list:

• 2 cups Chicken Broth
• 2 cups Milk – I use Whole Milk 
• 1/3 cup Butter, cubed 
• 3/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Pepper
• 3/4 cup uncooked Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit Stone Ground Grits ( started pack here)
• 1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 8 thick sliced bacon strips, chopped ( I use natural no sugar bacon)
• 1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (wild caught is best)
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp cajun or blackened seasoning
• 4 green scallions (chopped)

How to make shrimp and grits?

What I didn’t know what that Shrimp and Grits are pretty easy to make.

As far as classic Southern meals this is a must-have in your recipe rotation

In a large, All Clad Sauce Pot bring 2 cups of chicken broth to a boil. While waiting for the broth to come to a boil, peel and de-vein 1 pound of shrimp.

Once the broth comes to a rolling boil, add 2 cups of whole milk, salt, and pepper.

Reduce to a simmer and add your grits.

Stir in a cup of grits and reduce to a simmer.

Let the grits cook over low heat for about 15 minutes until they reach desired consistency, stirring occasionally. When the grits are almost ready, stir in butter, and shredded cheddar cheese.

In a separate skillet,

Heat shrimp through until cooked and set aside. Serve shrimp over cooked grits and serve warm – you’ve just made shrimp and grits! Dig in and enjoy!

In a large two-handled skillet cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to a paper towel, drain, and reserve about 4 teaspoons of drippings. Then add shrimp along with garlic, cajun seasoning, and bacon.

What is the secret to good grits?

Good grits can be the perfect foundation for shrimp and grits, or any other classic Southern dish.

The key to making sure your grits turn out creamy and delicious is to use the proper ratio of water or milk to grits and to cook them with a lid on over low heat stirring often.

This will ensure even cooking and make sure all of the starch from the corn releases into the water creating a satisfyingly creamy texture. You can customize your grits by adjusting the liquid—milk makes it creamier while extra chicken broth deepens the flavor—and incorporating additional ingredients such as cheese, salt, pepper, butter or herbs. The possibilities are truly endless!

30 Minutes Start to Finish

Saute the shrimp, garlic, and seasoning in drippings until the shrimp turns pink.

Serve with Grits and sprinkle with chopped green scallions. onions. I also chop up a few bacon slices and add that as a topping as well!

Bon appetite! 

Tomorrow I’m going to make Callie’s Hot Little Buttermilk Biscuits with Jam for breakfast! It’s as if we never left the South!

I hope you love this recipe as much as my family does! Leave a comment below and let me know what you think!