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cajun shrimp and grits

Cajun Shrimp and Grits

Cajun Shrimp and Grits is a combination of creamy, garlic infused grits with spicy, succulent shrimp. This dish has flavor, kick, and grit.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 3 servings (1 cup grits, 5-7 shrimp)

Equipment

  • mixing bowl
  • measuring cup
  • measuring spoons
  • saucepan with lid
  • whisk
  • paring knife
  • cutting board
  • cast-iron skillet or other large skillet

Ingredients
  

Grits

  • 2 teaspoons smashed garlic (3-4 cloves)
  • 3 cups chicken broth or water mixed with bouillon paste plus additional if needed to thin grits
  • 1 cup instant grits
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • 1/3 cup milk

Cajun Shrimp

  • 1 lb shrimp 16-20 count, raw, peeled, deveined, tail on (optional)
  • 2 cup warm water
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Instructions
 

Shrimp Prep

  • Shrimp. Start with completely thawed shrimp.
    1 lb shrimp 16-20 count, raw, peeled, deveined, tail on (optional)
  • Soak. In a mixing bowl, combine 1/2 teaspoons salt with warm water. Soak the thawed shrimp for 10-15 minutes.
    2 cup warm water, 1 teaspoon sea salt

Grits

  • Garlic. Peel and slice the garlic. Using the flat side of a chef's knife, smash the garlic until it becomes a paste.
    2 teaspoons smashed garlic (3-4 cloves)
  • Broth. Boil chicken broth in a saucepan over high heat, bring chicken broth and salt to a boil. Premade chicken broth is great. I like to use a bouillon paste so that I can intensify the flavor by adding more paste to the water mix. Either way is fine.
    TIP: Before you start to boil the water, give it a taste. If you don't like the taste of the water, you won't like the taste of the grits. It should be salty like the sea. So add more paste or salt to make it delish.
    3 cups chicken broth or water mixed with bouillon paste
  • Grits. Add in the grits. Once the broth is at a boil, carefully add the grits and whisk until the grits are saturated and so that they don't get lumpy. Add the garlic and stir. Turn the heat down to low. Let the grits cook for 5-7 minutes at a low simmer. Stir occasionally, getting all the bits that stick to the bottom up. If the grits start to get thick, add 1/4 cup more broth.
    Taste, add salt if needed.
    1 cup instant grits, 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • Remove heat. At the end of the cooking time, the grits should be tender. There may still be a bit of 'grit', but overall will be soft and creamy. Remove them from the heat.
  • Butta' and Milk. Make the grits creamy by adding butter and milk, stirring until combined and creamy. Place the lid back on and set the grits aside.
    3 Tablespoons butter, 1/3 cup milk

Cajun Shrimp

  • Dry. Pat the shrimp dry.
  • Seasonings. Mix all the spices, sugar, salt, and black pepper in a bowl.
    1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • Coat. In a mixing bowl, coat the shrimp with olive oil. Toss the oil coated shrimp in the Cajun spice mix.
    2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • Cook. Heat the skillet over medium high heat. Add half of the shrimp to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium low. Don't move the shrimp. Cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes on each side or until no longer opaque. Remove and repeat with the second batch.
    ** Caution: The skillet will give you beautiful char, but may create a little smoke in the process. Crank up the stove fan.

Assembly

  • Serve. Divide the grits into 3 to 4 portions. Top each with 5-7 shrimp. Serve immediately.
    Tip: If your grits have thickened up while you were working on your shrimp, simply add more milk and stir until you reach your desired consistency.