Cook the grits low and slow
Combine grits, milk and water in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a bare simmer and cook over low heat, whisking often, 35 to 45 minutes until completely tender. Keep them loose; add a splash of warm water if they tighten.
Recipes › Shrimp & Grits
Shrimp & Grits
Creamy stone-ground grits, smoky pan gravy and shrimp seared fast enough to stay juicy — the Lowcountry classic built around the shrimp instead of cooking past it.
Jump to RecipeAI-generated serving illustration. It is not a photograph of a tested batch or a doneness reference.
The Recipe
Ingredients
Step-by-Step Instructions
Finish the grits
Stir in 3 tablespoons butter, cheddar and Parmigiano. Season lightly and keep warm over the lowest heat.
Render the bacon
Cook bacon or tasso in a wide skillet until crisp. Lift it out and leave about 2 tablespoons fat in the pan.
Sear the shrimp
Pat the shrimp very dry and season. Heat the bacon fat over medium-high and sear the shrimp in one layer 60 to 75 seconds per side, just until nearly opaque. Transfer to a plate.
Build the pan gravy
Lower the heat. Cook onion and scallion whites until soft. Add garlic and tomato paste; cook until the paste darkens. Deglaze with wine and reduce by half. Add stock, Worcestershire, paprika and hot sauce; simmer until lightly thickened.
Mount and return
Turn off the heat. Swirl in the remaining cold butter and lemon juice. Return the shrimp and bacon only long enough to glaze and warm through, about 30 seconds.
Plate immediately
Spoon loose grits into warm bowls, top with shrimp and glossy gravy, and finish with scallion greens and black pepper.
OPTIONAL UPGRADE
Flavor Bomb
Keep the core recipe clean, or flip this on for one or two high-impact upgrades.
How to know it's done
Use these recipe-specific texture cues. Color and curl alone cannot establish safety; use a thermometer to check 145°F / 63°C at the thickest part for cooked shrimp.
ShrimpSense Notes
The little details that make a big difference.
Sear first, sauce second
The gravy needs more time than the shrimp. Cook them separately and reunite at the end.
21/25 is the sweet spot
Large enough to brown in bacon fat without the center racing past done.
Keep grits loose
Grits continue thickening off heat; they should pool, not stand like mashed potatoes.
Shell stock pays off
If you have shells, a quick stock makes the gravy taste unmistakably of shrimp.