Cheesy Bacon Southern Shrimp and Grits

Ruth 2:14
King James Version (KJV)
And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left.


Ah, this is a decadent southern meal. Delicious. It may clog your arteries a little with all the bacon and the shrimp cooked in bacon grease. I’ll add some notes at the end on how you could make it faster/slightly healthier and still taste great. Enjoy.

Cheesy Bacon Southern Shrimp and Grits
Slightly adapted from here.
[Printable Recipe]

2 cups water
2 chicken bullion cubes
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup quick grits
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined, without tails
cajun seasoning
4 slices bacon
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 c. sliced green onion
1 garlic clove, minced

Arrange bacon on an oven-safe cooling rack (such as for cookies) and set on a rimmed baking sheet. Place bacon in cold oven, then turn the oven on to 400 degrees. Cook for approximately 15 minutes on each side, for 30 minutes total or until bacon is nice and crispy. Crumble bacon and set aside, reserving bacon grease to cook the shrimp in.

Prepare the onion, garlic, and lemon juice. Mix and set aside in small bowl.

In a medium saucepan, bring water, bouillon cubes, butter, and grits to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 7 minutes. Grits should be thickened somewhat. Remove from heat and stir in the cheddar cheese.

Add 2 tbsp. bacon grease to a medium skillet and heat on medium high. Season the shrimp with cajun seasoning to taste. Add the shrimp to the skillet and sautee 1 minute per side. Lower heat to medium and add the onion, garlic and lemon juice mixture. Cook for another 1-2 minutes for the flavors to meld and shrimp to cook through.

Spoon grits in individual bowls, add shrimp mixture to grits, then sprinkle bacon crumbles on top.

Note: To save time, calories, and part of your arteries: Buy the pre-cooked bacon and microwave to desired crispiness. (skipping the whole bacon in the oven for 30 minutes routine) Drain and blot any extra bacon grease on paper towels. Use canola or olive oil to sautee the shrimp. Crumble the bacon on top of your shrimp at the end as in the original recipe. Enjoy.

~This Glorious Day~