Shrimp heads and peels are used to create the stock that absorbs the grits. Shrimp are included in the recipe both as a garnish on top and also as an ingredient folded into the grits themselves.
Shrimp-Lover's Shrimp & Grits
Shrimp heads and peels are used to create the stock that absorbs the grits. Shrimp are included in the recipe both as a garnish on top and also as an ingredient folded into the grits themselves.
Ingredients
- 30 large head-on shrimp ((roughly 2 lbs))
- 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tsp smoked paprika
- 5 cups water
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
- 1 carrot, roughly chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 3 Tbsp salted butter
- Salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
- 10 oz bacon, cut into thin 1/8” lardons
- 6 scallions, finely sliced, as garnish
- Extra-virgin olive oil, as garnish
- Sprinkle of smoked paprika, as garnish
Instructions
- Remove heads and peels from shrimp and place heads and peels in small stockpot.
- De-vein the shrimp and dry with paper towels.
- Marinate the shrimp in a mixture of garlic, soy sauce, and smoked paprika in a bowl.
- Add 5 cups water to the stockpot with the shrimp heads and peels.
- Add the onion, celery, carrot and bay leaves to pot and cook for 1 hour.
- Squeeze out the juice from the shrimp heads into the cooking liquid.
- Strain out the mixture and ensure that you have roughly 4.5 cups of shrimp stock to use for cooking the grits.
- Bring shrimp stock to a boil and add 1 Tbsp kosher salt.
- Add the yellow cornmeal and whisk to avoid lumps, whisking every few minutes.
- Cook cornmeal for roughly 20 minutes, or until the mixture is soft.
- Whisk in the butter and add the shredded cheddar cheese.
- If the mixture is too thick, add some more water.
- Cook sliced bacon lardons in saute pan on medium heat until they are crispy and have released some of their fat.
- Remove crispy lardons from saute pan and drain on paper towels, reserving the bacon fat in the saute pan.
- Turn heat to high and wait until the oil is very hot.
- Quickly sear the shrimp for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until shrimp is just cooked through.
- Remove and allow 2/3 of the cooked shrimp to rest.
- Cut the remaining 1/3 of the shrimp into small slices, and fold sliced shrimp into the grits.
- Serve grits hot, topped with seared whole shrimp, a handful of sliced scallions, crispy bacon lardons, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of smoked paprika.
Notes
The recipe above is designed to feed 4 people. The recipe is best eaten right after it is made, and can be scaled down if feeding fewer people.