Food and Recipes Seafood Shrimp Classic Shrimp And Grits Be the first to rate & review! The essential Southern dish doesn't get any better than this. By Ali Ramee Ali Ramee Ali Ramee is a recipe developer and food stylist for Dotdash Meredith. A College of Charleston graduate with a communications major, Ali began her culinary career in the kitchens of chef Hugh Acheson in her hometown of Savannah, Georgia. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on February 2, 2023 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Active Time: 50 mins Total Time: 55 mins Servings: 4 There are entire cookbooks dedicated to just shrimp and grits. The iconic Southern dish is steeped in tradition, varies from family to family, and is eaten at all times of day. This recipe is just one take on the dish, made using stone-ground white grits, pancetta, and plenty of sharp Cheddar cheese. It doesn’t use tomatoes or sausage, but gets its flavor from a vegetable base made with bell pepper, onion, and garlic that turns into a rich sauce with the help of chicken broth. The storied dish is straightforward and easy to prepare, making it perfect for a weeknight meal or served as a stress-free dish for brunch with friends. Ingredients 1 1/2 lb. large raw shrimp 5 cups water, plus more as needed 1 1/4 cups uncooked stone-ground white grits 3 tsp. kosher salt, divided 1 (4-oz.) pkg. diced pancetta 1 cup chopped yellow onion (from 1 medium [about 11 oz.] onion) 1 cup chopped red bell pepper (from 1 small [7 oz.] bell pepper) 2 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tsp.) 1 1/2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided 1 cup chicken broth 8 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups) Sliced scallions Dash of hot sauce (optional) Directions Peel and devein shrimp, discarding shells. Place shrimp in a medium bowl; cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Bring water to a boil in a medium pot over high. Whisk in grits and 2 1/2 teaspoons of the salt. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring often, until grits are tender and liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. If grits thicken before they are tender, add more water, and continue cooking. Remove from heat, and cover to keep warm. Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless After grits have cooked for 15 minutes, heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add pancetta, and cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy and fat has rendered, about 4 minutes. Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have softened and charred lightly, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; add flour and 1 tablespoon of the butter, and cook, stirring constantly, until butter is melted and flour has mixed into vegetables, about 1 minute. Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Slowly add broth, stirring constantly, until fully combined. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium-high. Add shrimp and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are cooked through and opaque, and sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Stir cheese and remaining 3 tablespoons butter into grits. Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Divide grits evenly among 4 shallow bowls, and spoon shrimp and gravy evenly on top of each bowl. Garnish with scallions and hot sauce, if desired. Serve. Rate it Print