One of my mom’s favorite culinary experiments is recreating memorable dishes from her favorite restaurants. It’s common for her to leave the restaurant with the recipe in-hand delivered straight from the Chef, though I believe that’s due to her kindness and appreciation for the craft. Throughout the years, we’ve enjoyed curried spiced nuts from a restaurant in West Virginia – and my personal favorite – potato crusted cod from Disney’s Flying Fish.

A few years ago, approaching the holiday season, we were told to anticipate her newest recreation Shrimp, Grits, and Gravy. She first came across this dish at a local restaurant and described it as fluffy buttery grits topped with jumbo shrimp, bites of spicy Tasso ham, and a rich tomato based gravy – different from the typical lemon and butter sauce. She did not leave the restaurant with the recipe, but instead, decided to put her research and skill to the test. She found a recipe hidden in the Food Network’s archives and with a few twists of her own, created this recipe.

This is written to serve 6-8 people, so we recommend this for a special occasion. Whether it’s a holiday dinner (like New Years Day), a dinner party, or even a tailgate, this is sure to please any crowd.

Here are a few entertaining tips for this recipe:

I recommend making the grits shortly before serving the dish as they are best hot off the stove. If you do need to make them ahead of time, slowly reheat them in the oven at 300 degrees F (or medium-low on the stove) adding a splash of heavy cream and stirring often.
You can make the gravy ahead of time, and if so, loosen up with tomato juice when reheating with the shrimp.
If served immediately, you can pour the gravy over the grits and serve family-style.
The grits and gravy can also be kept separate in a chafing dish, but I would add a few pads of butter or cream to the grits and let them sit covered (this is what I did at a tailgate).

Here is the original recipe and inspiration for this delicious dish we have been enjoying over the years.

Shrimp, Grits, & Gravy

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Servings

servings

Ingredients

For the Gravy
4 ounces
proscuitto*
2
leeks
1
shallot
4 tablespoons
salted butter, divided
1 tablespoon
chili powder
2 teaspoons
dried oregano
1 teaspoon
dried parsley
2 sprigs
fresh thyme, leaves removed
1/2 teaspoon
Old Bay seasoning
1/2 teaspoon
black pepper
1/4 teaspoon
garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon
cayenne
kosher sea salt, as needed
1/4 cup
all-purpose flour
1 cup
clam juice
1 1/2 cups
tomato juice
1 cup
heavy cream
2 pounds
large shrimp, peeled and deveined
olive oil as needed
For the Grits
6 cups
water
2 cups
whole milk
4 tablespoons
salted butter
2 cups
Quaker quick-cooking grits
2 teaspoons
kosher sea salt

Directions

Have the following ready on stand by: small bowl of cold water, 12" deep saute pan with a lid, an 8-quart pot with a lid, and a few various bowls.
Prepare the leek and shallot. Remove the leafy tops and stem-ends from the leeks and discard. Slice the white-parts in half lengthwise and remove and discard the stiff outer layer. Slice the leeks into small pieces, adding the pieces to a bowl of cold water. Swirl the leeks around with your fingers to remove any loose pieces of dirt, then drain and set aside until needed. Remove and discard the stem-end of the shallot, cut it in half length wise, then remove and discard the paper outer layers. Slice into small pieces, and reserve with the leeks.
Prepare the seasoning blend and season the shrimp. Combine the chili powder, oregano, parsley, thyme, Old Bay, black pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne in a small bowl. Add 2 pinches of sea salt and mix. Remove 2 teaspoons of seasoning and add to a bowl with the shrimp. Add 1-drizzle of olive oil and toss to evenly coat the shrimp. Transfer the shrimp to the fridge until needed.
Crisp the prosciutto. Add 2-counts of olive oil to the saute pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the prosciutto slices. Cook until crisp, about 2 minutes or less on each side. Transfer the crispy prosciutto to a plate and reserve until needed.
Sear the shrimp. In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon of butter and the shrimp. Saute for 3-4 minutes until the shrimp start to turn pink, but still appear translucent. You can cover the shrimp with the lid to help them steam, but make sure to stir often. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and reserve in the fridge until needed. They will not be fully cooked at this stage.
Begin the gravy. In the same cooking pan, add 1 more tablespoon of butter. Once melted, add the leeks and shallots. Saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining seasoning mixture and cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and once melted, stir in the flour. Cook for 2 minutes, then use a whisk to stir in the clam juice and tomato juice. Bring to a simmer and cook covered for 8-10 minutes until thickened. Stir often and watch closely, monitoring the heat as needed. Once the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, stir in the heavy cream. Keep the sauce on very low heat while you prepare the grits.
Cook the grits. Bring the water, milk, and butter to a boil in an 8-quart pot. Add the salt and stir in grits, stirring constantly at first. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the grits thicken, remove from the heat. Taste and adjust salt and butter as needed. If you are using regular grits (not quick-cook), you will need to adjust the cooking time to 15-20 minutes.
Reheat the shrimp and serve. Increase the heat of the gravy to medium and add the shrimp. Continue cooking until the shrimp are fully cooked through and the gravy reheats, less than 10 minutes. Serve with the gravy poured atop the grits - or you can serve them separately. Regardless, crumble the crispy prosciutto over the gravy before serving. You can also add fresh parsley, chives, or scallions if desired.