Shrimp and grits is a Lowcountry dish from coastal South Carolina: creamy cheddar grits under Cajun-seasoned grilled shrimp, bacon and green onions. Gamecocks fans bring it inland to Columbia, where the university lots are gas only, so the grits ride hot in a jar and the shrimp take 6 minutes on a propane grill.
At the lot: Carry the grits hot in an insulated jar and grill the shrimp on skewers for about 6 minutes. Homegating: Make the grits on the stove and sear the shrimp in a skillet.
Home gear: a heavy pot, a 2-quart insulated food jar (or a slow cooker crock wrapped in towels), metal skewers or a grill basket
35 MIN
At home, grits
15 MIN
At the lot
10
Serves
Ingredients
Grits
- 3 cups water
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1½ tsp kosher salt
- 1½ cups regular (not instant) white grits
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 8 oz sharp white Cheddar, shredded (2 cups)
- ½ tsp black pepper
Shrimp
- 2½ lb large raw shrimp (26 to 30 per lb), peeled and deveined
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Top
- 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 4 green onions, sliced
- 2 lemons, cut into wedges
- Hot sauce
Steps
At home
- Bring the water, milk and salt to a simmer in the heavy pot over medium heat. Watch it so the milk doesn't boil over.
- Whisk in the grits in a slow stream. Turn the heat to low and cook 20 to 25 minutes, stirring often and scraping the bottom, until thick and tender.
- While they cook, fill the insulated jar with boiling water to preheat it. Cook the bacon, crumble it and slice the green onions.
- Take the grits off the heat and stir in the butter, Cheddar and pepper. If they're stiff, loosen them with a splash of hot water. Dump the water from the jar, fill it with the grits and seal it.
- Toss the shrimp with the oil, Cajun seasoning and garlic in a zip-top bag and seal it. Keep it cold. Thread the shrimp onto skewers now if you'd rather not do it at the lot.
At the lot
- Heat the gas grill to medium-high. Thread the shrimp onto skewers if you haven't.
- Grill the shrimp 2 to 3 minutes a side, until pink and opaque and they read 145°F. Move them to the clean platter.
- Check the grits. They should read 140°F or above; if not, warm them in a pot on the grill, stirring, to 165°F. Spoon them into bowls and top with shrimp, bacon, green onions, a squeeze of lemon and hot sauce.
Pack for the lot
Pack it in
Lot notes
- Shrimp on ice: raw shrimp stays sealed at the bottom of the cooler until it hits the grill. Cooked shrimp goes on a clean platter, never back in the bag.
- Grits thicken: they firm up as they sit. Stir in a splash of hot water or milk to loosen them.
Can you make shrimp and grits ahead?
Make the grits right before you leave and carry them hot, or make them a day ahead, chill them and reheat them in a pot with a splash of milk to 165°F. Grill the shrimp fresh at the lot.
How do you keep grits hot at a tailgate?
Carry them in an insulated food jar preheated with boiling water and keep it closed until you serve, or use a slow cooker crock wrapped in towels. Rewarm them in a pot on the grill if they cool. The holding rules are in how to keep food hot at a tailgate.
How much shrimp and grits for 20 people?
Double it: 6 cups each of water and milk, 1 tbsp of salt, 3 cups of grits, 1 stick of butter, 1 lb of Cheddar, 5 lb of shrimp, ¼ cup of oil, 2 tbsp of Cajun seasoning, 4 cloves of garlic, 1 lb of bacon, 8 green onions and 4 lemons. Use 2 jars for the grits and grill the shrimp in 2 batches.
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