CHARLESTON STONE GROUND GRITS RECIPES

Steps:

• Bring water and 2 teaspoons salt to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk grits into the boiling water, and then whisk in half-and-half. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until grits are thickened and tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.
• Sprinkle shrimp with salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Add lemon juice, toss to combine, and set aside to marinate.
• Place sausage slices in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove sausage from the skillet.
• Add bacon to the same skillet and increase heat to medium-high. Cook until evenly browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain, then chop or crumble when cool enough to handle. Leave bacon drippings in the skillet.
• Add bell peppers, onion, and garlic to the bacon drippings; cook and stir until onion is translucent, about 8 minutes.
• Stir cooked sausage and marinated shrimp into the skillet with the cooked vegetables. Turn off the heat and set aside.
• Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour, stirring to create a smooth roux. Turn heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is golden brown in color, 8 to 10 minutes. Watch carefully, mixture burns easily.
• Pour the roux over the sausage, shrimp, and vegetables. Place the skillet over medium heat, add chicken broth, bacon, and Worcestershire sauce, and stir to combine. Cook until sauce thickens up and shrimp turn opaque and bright pink, about 8 minutes.
• Just before serving, mix sharp Cheddar cheese into grits until melted and grits are creamy and light yellow. Serve shrimp mixture over cheese grits.

Steps:

• Combine shrimp with lemon juice and a couple of generous splashes of Tabasco sauce; let sit while you begin the grits and gravy.
• Make the grits: in a large heavy saucepan, bring 6 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil.
• Whisk in the grits a few handfuls at a time (they will bubble up initially).
• When you have added all the grits, decrease heat to a very low simmer and cook over low heat for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally at first and more frequently toward the end.
• While the grits simmer, start the gravy: fry bacon in a skillet over medium heat until brown but still limp; stir in the onion, green pepper, and garlic; continue cooking until onion and pepper are limp, about 5 minutes.
• Add in the scallions; sprinkle flour over the mixture; continue sautéing for 5 minutes longer.
• Stir in the stock and remaining salt; cook for 5 minutes longer; remove from the heat while you finish the grits.
• When the grits are thick and creamy, stir in as much of the butter as you wish, followed by the cheese.
• Add a splash of Tabasco sauce and more salt if desired.
• Cover the grits while you finish the gravy.
• Return the gravy to the heat and stir in the shrimp; cook until the shrimp are opaque throughout, about 5 minutes.
• Serve immediately mounding the grits in large shallow bowls or on plates and covering them with shrimp and gravy.