Lowcountry Fried Shrimp Recipes

THE BEST SHRIMP AND GRITS

Steps:

• Bring water, half and half, 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, and salt to a boil and slowly whisk in grits.
• Reduce heat to a simmer and cover. You will need to stir this every 3-5 minutes so the grits don't become lumpy and/or burn to the bottom of the pan.
• Slowly add more water or half and half as needed if the grits become too stiff. Cook for ~ 30 minutes (or according to package instructions).
• Melt 1/4 cup butter in a small pan and slowly whisk in flour. Stir often and watch carefully as this paste is easy to burn (if you burn it, lower the heat, and start over).
• Cook ~ 5-10 minutes or until medium brown in color. Watch it carefully, it can burn quickly if you don't (see video).
• You can make the roux ahead of time. It is fine sitting for an hour or more as long as it's not still cooking in the pan (FYI - roux freezes well). Make the grits and roux at the same time, as they both require a little more attention than the rest of the meal.
• Bring a large pot to medium high heat and add vegetable oil. When hot, add andouille and cook until browned.
• Remove andouille (keep any liquid in the pot) and cook chopped bacon in the same pot ~ 4-6 minutes or until done.
• Remove bacon, lower heat, and cook onion, peppers, and garlic in the pot ~ 5-7 minutes or until tender. Feel free to remove some fat if you feel like it's too much.
• Place andouille, bacon, (and any liquid from it) back into pot and add chicken broth, lemon juice, lemon zest, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
• Bring to a boil, add roux, and let simmer ~ 15 minutes.
• Add shrimp & cook ~ 3-4 minutes or until shrimp are cooked through.
• Remove from heat and let thicken ~ 5 minutes before serving. You may need to add ¼ to ½ cup broth or water to your pot if the sauce has thickened to much.
• Serve over grits and add salt to taste. Happy Eating! Beckie

LOWCOUNTRY FRIED SHRIMP

Steps:

• Pour 3 inches of oil into a stockpot or Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat. Beat the eggs with the milk and salt and pour over the shrimp in a bowl, making sure they're well coated. Drain the shrimp in a sieve, shaking well to remove excess. Place the cracker meal on a plate.
• When the oil reaches 365°, roll the shrimp in cracker meal, then place in a dry sieve. Shake off the excess meal over the plate, then fry the shrimp in small batches in the hot oil until golden brown, 1-2 minutes. Larger shrimp will take longer to cook, about 2-3 minutes.
• Remove the shrimp from the oil with a wire mesh strainer and shake off all excess oil or drain on paper towels briefly. Serve hot.