SOUTHERN SHRIMP AND GRITS

Southern Shrimp and Grits image

Great Southern shrimp and grits recipe. I cook this for my family of 25 every Christmas when I go to Alabama. They can't get enough. Learned it from my best friend's mother growing up. Great soul food!

Provided by medicineman843

Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Pork Sausage

Time 1h5m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

4 cups milk
5 ½ cups water, divided
1 ½ cups stone-ground grits
½ cup butter
1 pound thick-cut bacon
½ (13 ounce) package kielbasa sausage, cut into small pieces
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1 large green bell pepper, finely diced
1 pound uncooked medium shrimp - peeled, deveined, and halved
1 teaspoon Creole seasoning, or to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
1 drop ketchup, or to taste

Steps:

Bring milk and 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add grits, reduce heat to medium-low, and stir constantly to make sure they don't burn. Add butter and cover. Let simmer, stirring occasionally so they don't burn, until water is absorbed and grits have thickened, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, place bacon in a large pot and cook over medium heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate, leaving rendered fat in the pan.
Heat bacon fat in the same pan over medium-high heat. Cook kielbasa in the hot fat until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer kielbasa to the plate with bacon. Add onion to the pan and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add bell pepper and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
Season shrimp with Creole seasoning, salt, and pepper; coat with flour and add to the pan. Cook until lightly pink, 3 to 4 minutes; the flour will absorb the fat to make a gravy. Add remaining water. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Add Worcestershire and ketchup and mix; it should give the gravy a darker color.
Reduce heat and add bacon and kielbasa to heat through, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve with grits.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 561.8 calories, Carbohydrate 44 g, Cholesterol 163.6 mg, Fat 29.8 g, Fiber 1.5 g, Protein 27.7 g, SaturatedFat 14.9 g, Sodium 938.9 mg, Sugar 7.5 g