Adapted from All Recipes Old Charleston Style Shrimp and Grits and Anson Mills Shrimp and Grits
NOTE: You don't need chicken broth AND shrimp stock...one or the other.
Be careful not to add too much shrimp stock.
5 cups of half and half/water to one cup of grits is not quite right...adjust accordingly...we used two cups of grits in 2019, but did too much water (went by the grits directions) to allow for the half and half as it should have been apportioned.
Do not let the shrimp marinate in the lemon juice...it ceviches it.
Ingredients
• 2 pounds uncooked shrimp
• Salt to taste
• 1 lemon, juiced
For the Shrimp Stock
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small/medium onion, finely diced
• 1 small rib celery, finely diced (optional)
• 2 large garlic cloves, sliced
• 4 cups water
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 Turkish bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
For the Grits
• 1 cup coarsely ground grits
• 3 cups water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups half-and-half
For the Sauce
• 1 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 5 slices bacon cut into thin strips
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1 chopped small onion
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken broth (if not using shrimp stock)
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Directions
1. Peel and, if desired, devein the shrimp, reserving the shells. Dry the shrimp between layers of paper towels and sprinkle shrimp with salt; drizzle with lemon juice. refrigerate until ready to use.
Be sure to remove any excess lemon juice.
2. Heat the olive oil in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells, onion, celery, and garlic and sauté until the shells are crisp and the vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes. Add the water, tomato paste, thyme, bay, peppercorns, and lemon peel. Cover and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the stock is flavorful and reduced, about 1 hour. Pour the stock through a fine-mesh strainer.
This can be done in advance...
3. Bring water, grits, and salt to a boil in a heavy saucepan with a lid. Stir in half-and-half and simmer until grits are thickened and tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.
Be sure to use the right water to half and half ratio. 2 cups of grits works for about 8 servings.
4. Place andouille sausage slices in a large skillet over medium heat; fry sausage until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove andouille from skillet.
5. Add bacon to skillet, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Retain bacon drippings in skillet. Transfer bacon pieces to paper towels, let cool.
6. Cook and stir green, red, and yellow bell peppers, and onion in the bacon drippings until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes.
7. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; stir in flour to make a smooth paste. Turn heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is medium brown in color, 8 to 10 minutes. Watch carefully, mixture burns easily.
8. Add raw shrimp and andouille to cooked vegetables and mix to combine.
9. Pour the butter-flour mixture into the skillet with andouille sausage, shrimp, and vegetables. Place the skillet over medium heat and pour in shrimp stock (or chicken broth), bacon and Worcestershire sauce, cooking and stirring until the sauce thickens and the shrimp become opaque and bright pink, about 8 minutes.
10. Just before serving, mix sharp Cheddar cheese into grits until melted and grits are creamy and light yellow. Serve shrimp mixture over cheese grits.
