¼lb.Bacon, diced4 - 6 slices, depending on thickness
3 - 4tbsp.Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Butter, dividedHalf to toss the shrimp before seasoning and half for the pan when sauteeing
2lbs.XL ShrimpWe used in the neighborhood of 16/20 count. See recipe notes 3.
2tsp.Old Bay Seasoning, or similar
4tsp.Slap Ya Mama Seasoning, or similar
1Sweet Onion, dicedSmall to Medium
½Green Bell Pepper, dicedSmall to Medium
½Red Bell Pepper, dicedSmall to Medium
2 - 3Celery Stalks, diced
2 - 3Green Onions, dicedTops saved for garnish
3clovesGarlic, minced
¼cupAll-Purpose Flour
2cupsSeafood StockSee recipe note 1
1tbsp.Worcestershire Sauce
Hot Sauce, Salt, and Pepper to taste
Instructions
Season the Shrimp
In a mixing bowl, toss the shrimp in olive oil, season with the Old Bay/Slap Ya Mama blend and mix well. Set aside.
Get the Grits On
If using stone ground grits, follow this step. If using quick grits see recipe note 2. Rinse grits and remove any foreign particles before proceeding.
Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, add the grits, reduce burner temperature to low and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour until desired texture is reached. Mix in cheese when the grits are finished.
Make the Magic Happen
In a large saute pan, cook the bacon over low/medium heat for 5 - 7 minutes or until desired crispness.
Add the seasoned shrimp and cook for another 1 - 3 minutes, flipping shrimp halfway through. Remove contents to a bowl but do not clean the pan.
Add remaining oil or butter to the same pan. Add the onion, bell peppers, celery, and white parts of the green onion to the pan. Saute 4 - 5 minutes, or until mixture begins to soften. Add the garlic and cook for just 1 - 2 minutes more.
Slowly mix in the flour and stir for approximately 1 minute. Mix in the seafood stock, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Simmer uncovered for 5 - 7 minutes.
Add the shrimp and bacon (along with any drippings from the bowl) back to the pan. Let simmer for another 2 - 3 minutes as shrimp come up to temperature.
Serve over grits, top with the remaining tops of scallions.
Notes
Note 1: If you're feeling ambitious and want to make a shrimp stock ahead of time save your shrimp shells and tails (if using shrimp that aren't already shelled, tailed and deveined) and use this recipe: https://flavorbible.com/2022/08/25/simple-seafood-stock/We recommend making a day ahead to save time.Note 2: If you want to shortcut with quick grits for simplicity or time constraints simply follow the instructions on the container. The cook time is much shorter so you'll want to make them towards the end of the recipe instead of starting them first.Note 3: Our shortcut in this recipe was to use shelled, tailed, and deveined shrimp. If you use whole, fresh shrimp add a few minutes to the prep time to handle this step.
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