Shrimp and Grits

Name: Shrimp and Grits
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 pound extra jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, about 16 to 20; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon paprika; ½ teaspoon chili pepper flakes; ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper; zest of 1 medium lemon, about 1 tablespoon; juice of 1 medium lemon, about 3 tablespoons; ½ pound bacon, about 6 to 8 slices, chopped; ¼ cup dry sherry; ½ cup heavy cream; 1 ½ cups chicken stock; 1 ½ cups heavy cream; ¼ teaspoon salt; ¾ cups grits; 2 tablespoons butter; 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated; 1 teaspoon steak seasoning; 2 green onions, finely chopped; 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped; 2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped

Coastal Mains

Shrimp and Grits

Print Recipe

The Strategy:

This recipe completely weaponizes Southern comfort by taking heavily spiced, extra jumbo shrimp and searing them violently in pure bacon grease. By deglazing the intense fond with dry sherry and a flood of heavy cream, you create an outrageously savory, bacon-infused sauce that is spooned aggressively over insanely rich, cheddar-laced cream grits. Delivering shallow, heavily loaded bowls of this deeply savory, fiercely textured dish provides an undeniably luxurious, high-end coastal brunch experience that completely dominates the table.

Serves: 4 to 6 | Total Time: 30 minutes till it’s ready

Ingredients

For shrimp seasoning

1 pound extra jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, about 16 to 20
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon chili pepper flakes
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
zest of 1 medium lemon, about 1 tablespoon

For shrimp and sauce

juice of 1 medium lemon, about 3 tablespoons
½ pound bacon, about 6 to 8 slices, chopped
¼ cup dry sherry
½ cup heavy cream

For grits base

1 ½ cups chicken stock
1 ½ cups heavy cream
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cups grits
2 tablespoons butter

For grits additions and garnish

4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoon steak seasoning
2 green onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped

Ingredients arranged: a bowl of massive raw grey shrimp, piles of intensely orange paprika and cayenne, bright yellow lemons, thick-cut chopped bacon, a block of sharp yellow cheddar cheese, heavy cream, dry sherry, butter, grits, fresh green onions, and chives around a heavy cast-iron skillet on a marble prep board.

Instructions

Cook the shrimp and bacon

Place the shrimp into a bowl.
Add the onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, chili flakes, cayenne pepper, and lemon zest.
Toss shrimp with seasoning to coat.
Sprinkle with lemon juice.
Place the bacon in a skillet and heat to medium.
Cook the bacon until crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
Cook the shrimp in the bacon grease until it’s just pink on the outside and not cooked all the way through, just a couple minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shrimp to a platter.

Make the sauce

Reduce the heat to medium low.
Pour in the sherry.
Cook for 2 minutes.
Pour in ½ cup heavy cream.
Stir to thicken.
Set the sauce aside while you cook the grits.

Make the grits and assemble

Bring chicken stock and 1 ½ cups heavy cream to a boil over medium-high heat.
Stir in the grits and salt.
Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the grits thicken, about 20 to 25 minutes, stirring along the way.
Stir in the butter, cheese, and steak seasoning.
Return the shrimp to the sauce.
Cook over medium-low heat until the shrimp are opaque.
Serve a spoonful of the grits in a shallow bowl. Top with shrimp and sauce. Sprinkle with bacon and garnish with finely chopped green onions, chives, and parsley.

A cook's hand using a heavy silver spoon to ladle a massive portion of thick, intensely spicy, golden-brown bacon and sherry cream sauce over huge, spice-crusted pink jumbo shrimp resting on a bed of steaming, molten cheddar grits in a wide ceramic bowl.

The full recipe lives in the Vault

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The Heart of the Table

Serving heavily laden, shallow bowls of blisteringly hot shrimp and molten cheddar grits instantly commands a deeply relaxed, wildly indulgent atmosphere. The aggressive aroma of smoked bacon, sharp cheddar, and intensely spiced shrimp hitting the air forces guests to abandon all conversation, aggressively attacking the bowls with heavy spoons while leaning back in absolute, savory satisfaction.

8 guests gathered tightly around a rustic patio table, laughing loudly, digging into shallow bowls with heavy spoons, and drinking fiercely chilled Champagne in glasses on a Palm Beach Estate. Wide shallow bowls of steaming Shrimp and Grits anchor the lively coastal brunch party.

Neighborly Grace

THE PRESENTATION: Spoon massive, heavy mounds of the thick cheddar cream grits into wide, shallow ceramic bowls. Aggressively drop several jumbo, spice-crusted shrimp directly into the center of the grits, and heavily ladle the thick bacon-sherry cream sauce over the top. Violently shower the entire bowl with crispy bacon bits, bright green scallions, and fresh chives.
THE POUR: The insane richness of the bacon fat, the molten cheddar grits, and the spicy shrimp demand a wildly refreshing, intensely carbonated morning pour. A fiercely chilled, highly effervescent French Crémant or a massive pitcher of aggressively spiced, vodka-heavy Bloody Marys perfectly slices through the staggering richness of the dish.
THE VIBE: Deeply indulgent, high-energy weekend brunches. This is the intensely heavy meal you execute on a bright Sunday morning, served loudly on the patio, demanding an atmosphere of relaxed, wildly satisfying indulgence.

Chef’s Recommendations

Something Fried to Start: Crispy Cornmeal Hushpuppies with Spicy Remoulade
The Greens on the Plate: Sautéed Collard Greens with Fresh Ginger
The Southern Sweet: Banana Pudding Ice Cream
The Glass Alongside: The Prickled Pink Cocktail

The Estate Table

Build tonight’s menu around this dish.

✦ Set the Table

Shrimp and Grits

Shrimp and Grits

The full recipe lives in the Vault

The Heart of the Table

Neighborly Grace

✨ The Gilded Swaps