Beer Shrimp and Grits
Beer Shrimp and Grits
If you’ve ever been to the south, you know that southerners love their shrimp and grits. It is a staple of American cuisine and was invented in the US, too – Georgia or South Carolina to be more exact. Grits are not a very common ingredient in other dishes, but can be used to make fritters, grit cakes, and fried foods, too.
If you need a refresher, grits are a kind of starchy grain that’s made from ground corn. It was first made by Native Americans, but was quickly adopted by the immigrants and settlers.
This classic meal is full of spice and carries a kick. The grits are savory, the shrimp is rich, and together, this meal is to die for. The spices in this meal are easily replaceable with other spices of your choice. If you have extra spices laying around that you’ve been meaning to put to use, this recipe is the perfect opportunity to dust them off.
Shrimp and grits is incredibly simple to make. As I said, the spices are practically interchangeable, giving you room to explore flavors and experiment. To cook the grits themselves, just follow the directions they come with.
If your grits don’t come with directions, the average ratio of water to grits when cooking is 4:1. Meaning, 4 cups of water should be used to cook 1 cup of grits.
To cook the shrimp, all you have to do is put them in a pan and watch as your meal comes together. The most difficult part of making this dish is cleaning the shrimp. Most seafood stores sell pre cleaned shrimp, so basically what I’m saying is, making this meal is something anyone can do.
Beer Shrimp and Grits Recipe
Beer Shrimp and Grits Recipe
The grits in this recipe are made deliciously creamy with the added butter and heavy cream. But, to make them even creamier, replace a few tablespoons of water with milk when you boil your grits. The choice is yours.
Ingredients:
For grits:
- 1 cup grits
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- Kosher salt and ground pepper
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 jalapeño, diced (keep the seeds in for more spice, or them out for a milder taste)
- ¼ heavy cream
For shrimp:
- 3 cloves of garlic, diced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 lb large shrimp, cleaned and deveined
- Kosher salt and ground pepper
- ¼ cup of FRIO beer
Serves 4
TIME: 1 hour 10 minutes (depends on how long your grits take to cook)
Step 1 - Start with the grits. Cook the grits according to the instructions on the package. Or, cook the grits in 4 cups of boiling water in a large saucepan on the stove. Whisk every once in a while until thickened. This may take about 1 hour for stone grits. Quick grits can take as little as 5 minutes.
Step 2 - Whisk in the garlic powder and dried parsley. Then, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir in the cheese, butter, jalapeño, and heavy cream. Taste this, then add in more seasoning if desired. Set aside.
Step 3 - In a large skillet over medium heat, add in the garlic, olive oil, butter, cumin, paprika, dried basil, and dried oregano. Give this a stir, then let this heat for about 3 minutes. Add in the beer and let simmer for another minute.
Step 4 - Put the shrimp in the pan so that none of the shrimp is overlapping. Let shrimp cook for about 1-2 minutes per side or until they turn pink. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 5 - Plate the grits first, then scoop some shrimp and sauce onto the grits. Serve.