Ingredients
Scale
For the Grits:
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup stone-ground or quick grits
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1-1½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
For the Shrimp:
- 1 lb medium or large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1-2 teaspoons Cajun or Creole seasoning
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
For Topping:
- 4-6 strips bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled
- ¼ cup sliced green onions
- Optional: hot sauce, extra cheese, fresh herbs
Instructions
Make the Grits:
- Cook Grits: In a medium saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Gradually whisk in grits, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring frequently, until grits are thick and creamy—about 5-7 minutes for quick grits, 30-40 minutes for stone-ground. Follow package directions for timing.
- Add Enrichments: Remove from heat. Stir in butter, heavy cream, cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix until cheese is completely melted and grits are smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Form Grits (Cup Method): Spray a muffin tin generously with cooking spray. Spoon hot grits into muffin cups, filling about ¾ full. Use the back of a spoon to press grits up the sides slightly, creating a shallow cup shape. Let cool, then refrigerate at least 1 hour until very firm. OR Form Grits (Cake Method): Pour hot grits into a parchment-lined 9×13-inch baking dish, spreading evenly to about ½-inch thickness. Let cool, then refrigerate at least 1 hour until very firm. Use a round biscuit or cookie cutter (2-3 inches) to cut into rounds.
Cook the Shrimp:
- Cook Bacon: In a large skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Remove, drain on paper towels, and crumble. Set aside. Pour off excess bacon fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in pan.
- Season Shrimp: Pat shrimp dry and toss with Cajun seasoning, coating evenly.
- Sauté Shrimp: In the same skillet (or add fresh butter if you poured off bacon fat), heat over medium-high. Add seasoned shrimp in a single layer. Cook 2-3 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Add minced garlic in the last 30 seconds. Add butter and lemon juice, tossing to coat. Remove from heat.
Assemble and Serve:
- Remove Grits: If using muffin tin method, run a knife around edges and pop out grits cups. If using cake method, carefully remove grits rounds from pan.
- Optional Crisping: For extra texture, brush grits cakes/cups with melted butter and either: (a) pan-fry in a skillet 2-3 minutes per side until golden and crispy, or (b) bake at 400°F for 10-15 minutes until edges are golden.
- Assemble Bites: Place each grits cup or cake on a serving platter. Top each with 1-2 shrimp (depending on size), sprinkle with crumbled bacon and green onions.
- Serve: Serve immediately while warm, with hot sauce on the side if desired.
Notes
- Grits must be chilled at least 1 hour to firm up properly—don’t rush this step.
- Stone-ground grits have better flavor but take longer to cook than quick grits.
- Quick grits are not the same as instant grits—avoid instant.
- Grits portion can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated.
- For crispier texture, pan-fry or bake grits before topping.
- Shrimp should be cooked just before serving for best texture.
- Can substitute polenta for grits in a pinch, though flavor differs.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 1 hour chilling for grits)
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Southern
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 bites
- Calories: 245
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 625mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 95mg