Kardea's Charleston Shrimp and Grits combines creamy cheddar grits with seared butter shrimp, crispy bacon, and bell peppers for an authentic Lowcountry meal. The dish balances savory, buttery, and slightly smoky flavors in a single bowl.
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Bring 3 cups milk, grits and salt to a boil in a heavy saucepan with a lid. Stir and simmer until grits are thickened and tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in cheese, ¼ cup milk and butter and set aside and keep warm.
Sprinkle shrimp with seasoning salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Set aside in a bowl, dust with flour.
Cut bacon slices in half slices and place in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Retain bacon and drippings in skillet.
Add green and red peppers, onion and minced garlic to the frying pan with bacon and drippings. Add uncooked shrimp dusted with a little flour, cook for about 3-4 minutes on medium heat until veggies are tender and shrimp have turned slightly pink.
Mix flour and water together in a separate cup then pour mixture into the skillet with shrimp, bacon and vegetables. Place the skillet down to low heat, add dashes of soy sauce (adds brown color and flavor), stir until the gravy slightly thickens and the shrimp become opaque and bright pink, about 5-6 minutes. Taste gravy add salt and pepper if needed.
Serve hot shrimp mixture over grits.
Store leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat grits gently on the stovetop with a splash of milk, and rewarm shrimp separately in a skillet over low heat to prevent toughening.
Yes. Cook the grits, transfer to a buttered baking dish, cool, and refrigerate up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a 350°F oven with a splash of milk stirred in, or on the stovetop over low heat.
Cook shrimp for only 2–3 minutes per side until they curl and turn opaque. Overcooking toughens them. Use medium or large shrimp, which are more forgiving than small ones.
Yes. Gruyère, Gouda, or sharp white cheddar work well. Use the same amount and stir it in off heat to prevent stringiness.
They should be creamy and pull away slightly from the pan sides when stirred. Taste for grittiness—if still chalky, simmer 5 more minutes with a splash of milk.
Substitute butter with olive oil or dairy-free butter, milk with unsweetened almond milk, and skip the cheese or use nutritional yeast for umami depth. The texture will differ slightly.
