The Ultimate Charleston Shrimp And Grits Recipes

CHARLESTON SHRIMP AND GRITS

Steps:

• Combine shrimp with lemon juice and a couple of generous splashes of Tabasco sauce; let sit while you begin the grits and gravy.
• Make the grits: in a large heavy saucepan, bring 6 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil.
• Whisk in the grits a few handfuls at a time (they will bubble up initially).
• When you have added all the grits, decrease heat to a very low simmer and cook over low heat for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally at first and more frequently toward the end.
• While the grits simmer, start the gravy: fry bacon in a skillet over medium heat until brown but still limp; stir in the onion, green pepper, and garlic; continue cooking until onion and pepper are limp, about 5 minutes.
• Add in the scallions; sprinkle flour over the mixture; continue sautéing for 5 minutes longer.
• Stir in the stock and remaining salt; cook for 5 minutes longer; remove from the heat while you finish the grits.
• When the grits are thick and creamy, stir in as much of the butter as you wish, followed by the cheese.
• Add a splash of Tabasco sauce and more salt if desired.
• Cover the grits while you finish the gravy.
• Return the gravy to the heat and stir in the shrimp; cook until the shrimp are opaque throughout, about 5 minutes.
• Serve immediately mounding the grits in large shallow bowls or on plates and covering them with shrimp and gravy.

OLD CHARLESTON STYLE SHRIMP AND GRITS

Steps:

• Bring water and 2 teaspoons salt to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk grits into the boiling water, and then whisk in half-and-half. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until grits are thickened and tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.
• Sprinkle shrimp with salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Add lemon juice, toss to combine, and set aside to marinate.
• Place sausage slices in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove sausage from the skillet.
• Add bacon to the same skillet and increase heat to medium-high. Cook until evenly browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain, then chop or crumble when cool enough to handle. Leave bacon drippings in the skillet.
• Add bell peppers, onion, and garlic to the bacon drippings; cook and stir until onion is translucent, about 8 minutes.
• Stir cooked sausage and marinated shrimp into the skillet with the cooked vegetables. Turn off the heat and set aside.
• Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour, stirring to create a smooth roux. Turn heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is golden brown in color, 8 to 10 minutes. Watch carefully, mixture burns easily.
• Pour the roux over the sausage, shrimp, and vegetables. Place the skillet over medium heat, add chicken broth, bacon, and Worcestershire sauce, and stir to combine. Cook until sauce thickens up and shrimp turn opaque and bright pink, about 8 minutes.
• Just before serving, mix sharp Cheddar cheese into grits until melted and grits are creamy and light yellow. Serve shrimp mixture over cheese grits.

GRITS WITH SHRIMP

Steps:

• Remove the heads and tails from the shrimp, and reserve for shrimp broth. Devein the shrimp and refrigerate while making shrimp broth.
• Make the shrimp broth: Rinse the shrimp shells with cool water. Heat a 4-quart pot over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp shells and cook until pink. Cover with the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook, uncovered, until the liquid has reduced to 1 quart, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Strain the stock and cool over an ice bath.
• Add the salt and bay leaves to the cooled stock, whisking until the salt is dissolved. Set the grits in a 4-quart pot and top with the shrimp. Cover the grits and shrimp with the brine and stash in the fridge for at least 6 hours or up to overnight.
• After the 6-hour brine, remove any chaffs or hulls from the grits that may be floating on the surface. Remove the shrimp from the brine.
• Bring the grits to a simmer over medium-high heat, whisking continuously until the grits boil to avoid lumps. Reduce the heat and cook the grits until tender and creamy, 30 to 35 minutes. Add a tablespoon of butter and stir to combine. Cover to keep warm while cooking the shrimp.
• Toss the shrimp with the lemon juice, hot sauce, and Old Bay. Set aside.
• Cook the bacon until crisp in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Remove from the pan to paper towels to drain. Add the shrimp and cook until pink, about 2 minutes per side. Coarsely chop the bacon and return to the pan and add the green onion. Stir to combine.
• To serve, ladle grits into a bowl and scatter the shrimp and bacon mixture over the top. Drizzle with any remaining bacon grease.

CHARLESTON SHRIMP AND GRITS WITH TASSO BLUE CRAB GRAVY

Steps:

• To make the Tasoo Blue Crab Gravy: Preheat a large bottom pot to medium-high heat.
• Add butter to pot and let melt. Add ham, white onion, peppers, Cajun seasoning, salt, brown sugar, onion powder, and minced garlic. Stir in flour and continue to cook while stirring until you achieve a dark brown color, a brown roux. Slowly whisk in 6 cups of fish stock, add slowly to help avoid lumps. Bring to a boil and use remaining 2 cups of stock to adjust for consistency. Remove from heat and add the crabmeat. Set aside for use.
• In a saute pan, over medium-high heat, saute shrimp and sausage. Place shrimp and sausage over grits, if using, and top with crab gravy sauce.

ULTIMATE SHRIMP AND GRITS

Steps:

• For the grits:
• Place a 3-quart pot over medium-high heat. Add the milk and cream. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal. When the grits begin to bubble, turn the heat down to medium low and simmer, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon. Allow to cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and thick. Remove from heat and stir in the butter, thin it out with a little extra cream. Season with salt and pepper.
• For the shrimp:
• Place a deep skillet over medium heat and coat with the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic; saute for 2 minutes to soften. Add the sausage and cook, stirring, until there is a fair amount of fat in the pan and the sausage is brown. Sprinkle in the flour and stir with a wooden spoon to create a roux. Slowly pour in the chicken stock and continue to stir to avoid lumps. Toss in the bay leaves. When the liquid comes to a simmer, add the shrimp. Poach the shrimp in the stock for 2 to 3 minutes, until they are firm and pink and the gravy is smooth and thick. Add the cayenne pepper, Tabasco and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper; stir in the parsley and green onion. Spoon the grits into a serving bowl. Add the shrimp mixture and mix well. Serve immediately.

OLD CHARLESTON STYLE SHRIMP AND GRITS

Steps:

• Bring water, grits, and salt to a boil in a heavy saucepan with a lid. Stir in half-and-half and simmer until grits are thickened and tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.
• Sprinkle shrimp with salt and cayenne pepper; drizzle with lemon juice. Set aside in a bowl.
• Place andouille sausage slices in a large skillet over medium heat; fry sausage until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
• Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Retain bacon drippings in skillet. Transfer bacon slices to paper towels, let cool, and crumble.
• Cook and stir green, red, and yellow bell peppers, onion, and garlic in the bacon drippings until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes.
• Stir shrimp and cooked vegetables into the andouille sausage and mix to combine.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; stir in flour to make a smooth paste. Turn heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is medium brown in color, 8 to 10 minutes. Watch carefully, mixture burns easily.
• Pour the butter-flour mixture into the skillet with andouille sausage, shrimp, and vegetables. Place the skillet over medium heat and pour in chicken broth, bacon and Worcestershire sauce, cooking and stirring until the sauce thickens and the shrimp become opaque and bright pink, about 8 minutes.
• Just before serving, mix sharp Cheddar cheese into grits until melted and grits are creamy and light yellow. Serve shrimp mixture over cheese grits.

CHARLESTON SHRIMP 'N' GRAVY

Steps:

• Place the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry until browned, then remove to paper towels to drain. Add the butter to the bacon grease. When the butter begins to sizzle, sprinkle 3 tablespoons of flour over it. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for about 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until dark brown. Don't let it scorch - if it starts to, just reduce the heat.
• When the roux reaches dark brown, increase the heat to medium-high, and add the onions and bell pepper. Cook and stir for a couple of minutes, just until softened. Meanwhile, place the shrimp in a bowl, and toss with seasoned salt, pepper, garlic powder, and remaining flour. Pour into the pan, and stir constantly for 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken stock, and reduce the heat to low. Cook for just a few minutes to thicken the broth. Don't cook much longer, or the shrimp will become tough. Sprinkle the chopped green onion over it, and remove from the heat. Serve over fresh hot grits, rice or biscuits. Crumble the bacon slices on top.