Chef John's Shrimp and Grits

• servings: 4 servings
• active time: 25 minutes
• total time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

4 slices bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

¼ cup water

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 dash Worcestershire sauce

4 cups water

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup white grits

½ cup shredded white Cheddar cheese

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning

½ teaspoon salt, or to taste

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 pinch cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon minced jalapeno pepper

2 tablespoons minced green onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Gather the ingredients.

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until almost crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer bacon to a dish; reserve drippings in the skillet.

Whisk 1/4 cup water, cream, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce together in a bowl.

Combine 4 cups water, butter, and 1 teaspoon salt in a pot; bring to a boil. Whisk in grits; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook until creamy, 20 to 25 minutes. Off heat, stir in Cheddar cheese.

Season shrimp with Cajun seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and a pinch of cayenne pepper in a large bowl.

Heat bacon drippings in the skillet over high heat. Add shrimp; cook 1 minute. Flip shrimp; add jalapeño and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir cream mixture, bacon, green onion, and garlic into shrimp mixture; cook and stir until shrimp cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes, adding water as necessary to thin sauce. Off heat, stir in parsley.

Ladle grits into a bowl; top with shrimp and sauce.

Nutrition

• Calories: 434 kcal
• Total Fat: 20 g
• Saturated Fat: 11 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 226 mg
• Sodium: 1499 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 33 g
• Dietary Fiber: 1 g
• Total Sugars: 1 g
• Protein: 30 g