Easy Shrimp and Grits Foodocracy Style

In the realm of Southern food, few dishes capture Low Country cuisine quite like a proper bowl of shrimp and grits. This beloved staple isn't just food—it's a cultural touchstone, a connection to generations past, and when made with heritage ingredients like Jimmy Red Corn grits, it becomes nothing short of transformative. We take a shortcut to flavor in this easy interpretation of the classic by using Southern Hot sauce to create a pan sauce in no time. You don't need to be a better cook, you just need better ingredients! And trust us, with Jimmy Red Corn grits, you'll create an elevated dish without working all that hard for it.       

The Soulful Heritage of Shrimp and Grits

Shrimp and grits traces its humble beginnings to the coastal regions of the American South, where fishermen would start their days with a hearty breakfast of fresh-caught shrimp served over homemade grits. What began as a simple fisherman's breakfast has evolved into one of the South's most iconic dishes, gracing tables from casual diners to high-end restaurants.

The beauty of this dish lies in its simplicity and the quality of its ingredients. When prepared with love and authentic stone-ground grits, shrimp and grits transcends its humble origins to become a canvas for culinary creativity while honoring time-honored traditions.

The Legend of Jimmy Red Corn: A Grain Saved from Extinction

In the tapestry of Southern agriculture, Jimmy Red Corn stands as a testament to preservation and culinary heritage. Named after Jimmy Neighbors, the Creek-Seminole Indian who carefully nurtured and propagated this variety, this extraordinary grain was once on the brink of extinction.

In a twist of fate as captivating as its rich flavor, Jimmy Red Corn found unlikely allies in prohibition-era bootleggers who recognized its exceptional qualities for crafting exceptional moonshine. When the last bootlegger who grew it passed away, this treasured heirloom grain was saved by the determined hands of dedicated seed saver Ted Chewning, who recognized the urgency of preserving this culinary treasure.

The renaissance continued when renowned Chef Sean Brock and South Carolina farmer Greg Johnsman of Marsh Hen Mill joined forces to champion this remarkable corn. Their passion for heritage grains breathed new life into Jimmy Red Corn, reintroducing it to a world hungry for authentic flavors and connections to the past. In 2017, Jimmy Red Corn earned its rightful place in the prestigious Slow Food Ark of Taste, cementing its significance in the rich tapestry of Southern gastronomy.

Stone-Ground Excellence: The Magic of Heritage Grits

Let's be crystal clear: instant grits taste like wallpaper paste and give grits a bad name! Authentic stone-ground grits, particularly those made from non-GMO Jimmy Red Corn grown by our friends at Marsh Hen Mill, are an entirely different experience.

Stone grinding preserves the corn's entire grain, including the nutritious germ and bran, creating a product with depth, texture, and unparalleled corn flavor. The slow grinding between granite stones keeps temperatures low, preserving the corn's natural oils and nutrients that would otherwise be lost in commercial processing. Jimmy Red Corn's distinctive red hue and exceptional flavor profile—slightly sweet with nutty undertones—elevates any dish it graces.

Marsh Hen Mill's commitment to sustainable farming practices and heirloom preservation ensures that each batch of Jimmy Red Corn grits carries not just extraordinary flavor but also a connection to agricultural traditions that might otherwise have been lost to history. Their careful cultivation methods honor both the land and the cultural significance of this remarkable grain.

Instant Pot Revolution: Pressure Cooking Perfect Grits

While traditionalists might insist on the stovetop method, the Instant Pot revolutionizes grits cooking without sacrificing quality. Pressure cooking brings several game-changing advantages to your grits preparation:

1. Time Efficiency: What normally takes 1-2 hours on the stovetop is reduced to about 30 minutes total, without sacrificing that coveted creamy texture.
2. Perfectly Even Cooking: The pressurized environment ensures even heat distribution, eliminating hot spots and preventing the dreaded scorching that can occur with stovetop methods.
3. Set-and-Forget Convenience: No need for constant stirring or monitoring—simply set your Instant Pot and walk away, returning to perfectly cooked grits every time.
4. Consistent Results: The controlled environment of pressure cooking yields remarkably consistent results, taking the guesswork out of achieving that ideal grits consistency.

The Instant Pot method particularly shines with stone-ground grits like Jimmy Red Corn, which traditionally require longer cooking times. The pressure cooker environment helps to break down the coarser texture while preserving the corn's distinctive flavor and nutritional benefits.

Choosing A Southern Hot Sauce

There are several great hot sauces that you can get easily but my favorite is Red Clay Hot Sauce. It's like Tobasco but better. I find it a little more balanced and refined so that it doesn't overwhelm a dish. The chef who is behind one of my favorite condiments wanted to make a hot sauce designed to go with food, not cover it up. We featured it in the store a few years ago but now you can find it in many grocery stores and of course online. Tobasco though also works if you can't get your hands on it right away. Just use less of it. I had the opportunity to visit the Tobasco factory in Louisiana and it was an incredible experience. Did you know that every single bottle of Tobasco sent around the world comes out of the original plant on Avery Island in Louisiana? Believe it or not, they're still family owned, still making the same exact recipe and still locally operated. For a really big grocery store brand it's pretty incredible.

Easy Shrimp and Grits

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook
• Share on Pinterest
• Share on Whatsapp

Category

Main Dish

Cuisine

Southern

Elevate Southern cuisine with our easy Shrimp and Grits recipe featuring heritage non-GMO stoneground grits from Jimmy Red Corn. Discover the rich history and incomparable flavor of this rescued heirloom grain while mastering both traditional and Instant Pot cooking methods for creamy, flavorful grits that will transform your dinner table.

Author:

Lisa Riznikove

Ingredients

For The Grits

• 4 cups water
• 1 cup Jimmy Red Corn grits
  Add To Cart
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

For The Shrimp

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more as needed
• 1 pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined but head on
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons Bourbon Barrel Small Batch Worcestershire
  Add To Cart
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 teaspoons chopped fennel, divided

View Cart (0) Checkout

Directions

Stovetop Grits

1. Place the water and grits in a very thick bottom pot on the stove. Bring to a boil and stir constantly with a silicone spatula until the grits thicken (1-2 minutes).

2. Remove the grits from the stove, cover and let stand for 10 minutes. (don't skip this step!)

3. Uncover the grits, add bay leaf and cook on very low heat, stirring often, until very soft and tender, 1-2 hours. Begin tasting at 45 minutes. You may need to add a bit more water towards the end if the grits are not soft enough but the water has absorbed and evaporated. The mixture should be thick at this point.

4. Turn off heat, discard the bay leaf, stir in 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and cheese. Stir until fully incorporated and melted in. If the grits are too thick, you can add a splash of heavy cream or a bit more butter. (Yes, we know, this isn't a health dish!) Add salt and pepper to taste.

Instant Pot Grits

1. Combine water, grits, and bay leaf in your Instant Pot. Stir well to prevent clumping. Secure the lid and set the valve to "Sealing."

2. Cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes, followed by a Natural Pressure Release for 15 minutes.

3. Release any remaining pressure, then open the lid. Stir thoroughly—the mixture may look watery at first but will thicken as you stir. Switch to Sauté mode on Low.

4. Add 2 tablespoons butter and cheese, stirring continuously until melted and incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For The Shrimp

1. Sauté minced garlic and shallot in a pan with oil. Add hot sauce, Worcestershire, and half of the fennel. Simmer.

2. Whisk in 3 tablespoons butter that has been cubed until fully incorporated, remove sauce from pan and set aside. Add more olive oil to the pan and sauté the bell pepper for 1-2 minutes until soft, add the shrimp into the pan, pour the reserved sauce over top and sauté until the shrimp is just cooked through (2-3 minutes).

3. Add generous heaps of grits to each plate, making a little well in the center with the back of your spoon. Place the shrimp in the well, pour the sauce over the entire dish and garnish with remaining fennel fronds.