Shrimp & Grits

Name: Shrimp & Grits
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb Large gulf shrimp; 1 lb Thick-cut bacon; 4 cloves Minced garlic; 1 Fresh lemon juice; 1 cup Stone-ground grits; 1.5 cups Sharp cheddar cheese

Cheddar grits, blackened shrimp, Andouille, and green onion.

Developed and tested by The Neon Griddle test kitchenPublished August 1, 2026Last reviewed August 10, 2026Corrections

Prep: 15m
Cook: 40m
Serves: 4
Level: Easy

Ingredients

4servings

Large gulf shrimp1 lb
Thick-cut bacon1 lb
Minced garlic4 cloves
Fresh lemon juice1
Stone-ground grits1 cup
Sharp cheddar cheese1 ½ cups

Instructions

1
Render fat
Render the diced bacon in a skillet until crisp; leave the liquid fat in the pan.
2
Sauté aromatics
Sauté the shrimp rapidly in this bacon fat along with the garlic and lemon juice, creating a highly savory pan sauce.
3
Cook the grits
Cook the grits slowly in chicken broth and milk, stirring in cheddar off the heat.
4
Pour & serve
Ladle the shrimp, bacon, and entire volume of pan sauce over the creamy grits.

Cook it safe

145°F / 63°C — Fish and shellfish, or until the flesh is opaque and separates cleanly.

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking — within 1 hour if the room is above 90°F / 32°C.
Reheat leftovers to 165°F / 74°C before serving.
Use a calibrated instant-read thermometer rather than color or cooking time to judge doneness.

Temperatures follow the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service safe minimum internal temperature chart.

Nutrition

Per serving · estimated

Calories: 801
Fat: 33g
Carbs: 81g
Protein: 47g

Nutrition is estimated from the listed ingredients using standard reference values (USDA FoodData Central). 4 of 6 matched ingredients use verified FoodData Central entries (dictionary snapshot 2026-09-11). Brand, portion, and preparation differences can change the result. Frying fat is counted at the share typically absorbed, and brines drained before cooking are excluded. These figures are an estimate for general interest, not medical or dietary advice.

Equipment

Cast iron skillet

Cast iron stores enough heat to keep searing when cold food hits it, which is what produces the crust.

Also useful here

Instant-read meat thermometer — This recipe has a target internal temperature, and color is not a reliable way to read it.

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