While comfort food may vary depending on where you are from, one thing for certain is that no one can deny their cravings for it at some point or another. The South is known for numerous comfort foods, mostly fried and coated with butter of course, and don't even get me started on fried bologna sandwiches which taste great and instantly clog your arteries! Whether you come from the South or not, you probably have tried today's recipe, Southern Style Shrimp and Grits, at some point in your culinary explorations. We all know both shrimp and grits taste great slathered with butter and garlic and everything wonderful in life so obviously it's a contender for classic comfort food status. You can spend hours making some fancy ass version of this dish, or you could stick around as I show you how to plate a damn good version in 15 minutes that will satisfy anyone's craving.......Let's get cooking!
For this Southern Style Shrimp and Grits recipe, we need to begin by making the cheesy grits. In a pot over medium-high heat, bring the chicken stock up to a boil. You could use plain water, but why not add an easy extra level of flavor with some stock. In fact, if you have any leftover SHRIMP STOCK from a previous meal, it would be even better to use than chicken stock, but for the rest of you ordinary food family peeps, chicken stock will do the trick! Once your stock is boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the grits. You can be extra fancy and use whatever grits you like, but for simplicity's sake I used 5 minute grits. That being said, give it a quick stir and cover for 5 minutes while the grits soak up the stock and cook.
After 5 minutes, or however long your particular grits take to cook, the mixture should be thick and creamy. You could call it quits at this point and move on to the shrimp, but we are making Southern Style Shrimp and Grits and nothing is more Southern than dumping in a bunch of cheese and taking the grits to the whole next level! That being said, add the shredded cheese and some granulated garlic and stir until melted and incorporated throughout. Any shredded cheese will work, but I think a basic cheddar blend works best. It should only take 1-2 minutes since the grits are already hot and ready to go.
Pretty simple so far, eh? Put the lid back on the pot and set the cheesy grits aside to stay warm while we quickly cook the shrimp. Add a few tablespoons of delicious ROASTED GARLIC BUTTER to a sauté pan over medium-high heat. While it is melting, you can quickly season your raw shrimp with some Old Bay or salt and pepper, but the butter itself will suffice for seasoning while cooking if you are in a hurry.
Once the Roasted Garlic Butter has melted, toss in the shrimp and sauté on each side for 2-3 minutes. Be sure to flip each shrimp after 2 minutes or so to prevent overcooking. No one likes overcooked rubbery shrimp!
Depending on how large of a meal you are making, you may or may not have to cook the shrimp in batches, but the same principle applies so just cook them as needed for your meal. Once the shrimp are finished cooking, about 4-5 minutes, give them a nice squeeze of fresh lemon juice and begin plating up our Southern Style Shrimp and Grits!
Before we completely wrap up this quick and easy meal, I have a couple last tips. Don't let the remaining butter in that sauté pan go to waste! Feel free to add it to the grits before plating for a final flavor boost because I don't think anyone is watching their waistline too closely with this meal. Secondly, you can also whip up a CAJUN AIOLI beforehand and drizzle over the finished plate for one last extra kick, but it is entirely up to you. It does look kind of snazzy, though, and adds a final Southern flair of heat and spice to the dish!
Your friends and family will be quite pleased no matter how you choose to finish off your Southern Style Shrimp and Grits. This classic, quick, and easy meal can be on the table in less than 15 minutes and is sure to fill hearts with love and leave bellies full! Give it a try for yourself and let me know on Instagram at @grubbongrub with a picture of your creation tagged #SouthernStyleShrimpAndGrits. Many meals may seem overwhelming to cook or have too many ingredients, but hopefully I have lessened your fears with this version of a classic dish. As always, get in the kitchen and make delicious meals.....Just Keep Cooking!
SOUTHERN STYLE SHRIMP AND GRITS
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