One skillet shrimp with bacon and okra nestled on top of creamy cheese and jalapeno grits! I recommend the recipe as written, but recognize that grits and okra are southern food and new to many. This is a great time to try both for the first time! Bacon makes everything tasty, especially shrimp, and the grits with cheese tastes like a hearty corn souffle.
This dish may seem like it takes a lot of time, but it really does not. While the grits are cooking, you make the shrimp, then put it all together!
Substitutions:
First, grits are milled corn. Adding the butter and cheese gives all the flavor. You can use either yellow or white grits. For this dish, I use yellow since we’re adding cheese anyway. However, if you can’t get past the grit:
- Rice or any pasta will do as a substitute for grits. Fresh pasta is always the best choice, but dried is fine.
- Cherry tomatoes are a great substitute for okra and work really well in this dish.
This dish also works as a hearty appetizer!
Dishin’ Shrimp n’ Grits
Equipment
- Large nonstick pot
- Large skillet
- Gallon ziplock bag or a medium-size bowl
Ingredients
Shrimp
- 2 lbs. large raw shrimp (shelled and deveined)
- 1/2 lb bacon (chopped)
- 1 jalapeno (chopped (optional for those that do not want a little spicy))
- 1 large bunch of green onions (chopped)
- 2 c okra (sliced about 1⁄2" wide)
- 1/4 c flour
- 1 T paprika
- 2 T dill weed
- 2 T chili powder
- 1 t black pepper
- 1 t salt
- Reserved bacon fat from frying bacon
Grits (Grits take about 20 minutes to cook)
- 1-2 c yellow corn grits (heartier grain if possible)
- 2/3 c shredded cheddar or colby jack cheese
- Milk to taste
- 1 jalapeno (chopped (optional))
- 2 t salt
- 1 t pepper
Instructions
Grits
- Start cooking grits
- Add grits to 3 cups of water in a large pot and bring to a boil. They will soak up the water fast.
- Once boiling, turn the heat to low and let them cook for 10 minutes, then add milk, stirring constantly.
- If they thicken too much, add more milk or water. Creamy is the desired texture, not as thick as mashed potatoes.
- Add jalapenos, cheese, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Add as much cheese and spice as you desire.
Shrimp
- Put spices in the bag and shake it up!
- Add shrimp and shake it up more, making sure the shrimp is evenly coated.
- Set in the fridge.
- Cook Bacon until about 50% done.
- Sauté the green onions and jalapenos with bacon until softened.
- Add okra to the same skillet and cook until slightly softened.
- Remove veggies and bacon, set aside next to the stove.
- DO NOT clean the skillet.
- Add a little olive oil if needed.
- Remove shrimp from the bag and lay them out on a paper towel and sprinkle with flour.
- Put shrimp in the same pan once oil is hot, keeping shrimp in one layer.
- Cook on high for one minute on each side.
- Add back veggies and bacon and stir to combine everything and bring everything back to hot. (about a minute)
- Serve grits onto plate, bowl, or cup. Top with the shrimp mixture.
- Enjoy!
