In this post I am sharing on of my personal favorites…Charleston Shrimp and Grits.

Do you have a meal that just makes you swoon? Like you can hear the angels sing just thinking about eating it? For me that would be shrimp and grits. 

The freshest sweet wild caught shrimp and grits are perfect for any meal of the day in South Carolina. This dish originates from the lowcountry of my beloved state.

Perhaps being born in a coastal state, it is just in our DNA to have a special fondness for seafood. It has to be, right? Of course these days you’ll find shrimp and grits on the menu of restaurants across the country.

So how did breakfast shrimp become such a popular dish? Well, like most anything there are two stories and both have truth in them.

The most popular story know by many is that shrimp and grits was a humble breakfast enjoyed by our lowcountry fisherman, rightfully so….they had plenty on hand.

The other story, and likely the true origin of this Southern cuisine, is that it was introduced to us by the enslaved Africans of the Charleston area. 

Southern Shrimp and Grits

Okay y’all….let’s talk about grits for a minute. Stone ground grits are the preferred grits of the South. Never ever do we use instant. If you stumble upon a recipe for grits that cook less than 30 to 45 minutes just keep on scrolling. Trust me. 

Not that you’ll find this very interesting but there happens to be a historic grist mill just down the road from my house.

Back in the day, the local grist mill owner was a very important man and usually had a bit of money from running their profitable business. 

Well that’s enough of my jibber jabber, let me tell y’all how to make these shrimp and grits. I do apologize…I just get to gushing when talking about my home state and delicious food.

Preparing shrimp and grits is fairly simple. You’ll see many versions…some folks like to add sausage or Tasso ham while others might make a pan sauce or gravy.

Do what suits your taste. The main components here are that you want there to be shrimp, grits and it needs to be savory and seasoned well. 

Here’s what you’ll need to make my version: bacon, peanut oil (optional), shrimp, flour, salt and pepper, mushrooms, garlic, lemon juice, Tabasco, green onions, grits and some butter. 

I s’wanee y’all…I’m getting so excited and my mouth is watering just telling y’all about this recipe!

Lowcountry Favorite Meal

“Southern Cooking is the Mother cuisine of America” ~ Nathalie Dupree

Step 1: It is best to get the grits to cooking before you start on everything else since they take a while. Bring water to a boil, season with salt then stir in your grits. Turn down the heat and let them cook, about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 2: In a skillet over medium high heat, cook some chopped bacon until crisp. Remove and set aside. Toss the shrimp in a small bit of seasoned flour to very lightly coat then add them to the skillet. Cook the shrimp on one side then flip and add the mushrooms and reserved bacon back to the skillet.

Next, add the garlic to the pan and stir constantly so the garlic doesn’t brown and become bitter. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the remaining ingredients.

To serve, spoon the shrimp mixture over a serving of grits.

Charleston Shrimp and Grits

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See this recipe at: Meal Plan Monday and Weekend Potluck

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