charleston

These Charleston Shrimp and Grits feature a bed of creamy grits topped with flavorful shrimp and Andouille sausage!

Charleston Shrimp and Grits

grits

chicken stock

water

salt

heavy cream

shrimp

hot sauce

lemon juice

andouille sausage

bacon

bell peppers (any color, diced)

onion

garlic

Tbsp all-purpose flour

cheddar cheese

onions

Using large saucepan with a lid, add grits, chicken stock, hot water and salt; stir until well combined.  Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

Stir in cream and reduce to a simmer.  Cook for 17-18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until grits are tender and have thickened.  Remove from heat, cover and keep warm.

Meanwhile, using a medium bowl, add the shrimp, hot sauce and lemon juice; toss until well coated.  Set bowl aside.

Add the sausage and bacon to a heavy skillet and place over medium heat.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until both sausage and bacon are browned but not crispy (~10-12 minutes).  Transfer sausage and bacon to a plate and pat dry with paper towels.  Leave bacon grease in skillet.

Add peppers, onion and garlic to skillet with bacon grease.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions turn translucent (~6-8 minutes).

Add flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Return cooked bacon and sausage to pan.  Add chicken stock, stir and bring mixture to a simmer.  Let cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Finally, add shrimp and continue cooking for 5-7 minutes, or until shrimp are opaque in center and fully cooked.

Add shredded cheese to grits and stir until cheese has fully melted.  (Note: If necessary, add a splash of water to the grits to loosen them up.)

To serve, spoon grits onto plate and top with sausage, bacon and shrimp mixture.

{Optional} Garnish with chopped green onions before serving.

Red Rice and Sausage is a staple in the Southern United States, especially in the coastal areas of Charleston, SC, and Savannah, Ga. This span of low-lying coastal area is also known as the Lowcountry. Here in Charleston, red rice and sausage is a way of life. It's eaten with many different types of meals, but especially seafood. It's relatively easy to make but so flavorful. 

Charleston Red Rice

celery (, diced)

white onion (, diced)

green bell pepper (, diced)

sausage

white rice

tomatoes

tomato paste

salt and pepper

green onion ((scallion), sliced diagonally (optional))

Bring water to a boil and cook rice according to package directions. For the Instant Pot, [See Note 1].

In a 12-inch skillet, cook the bacon, then drain and set aside, reserving the oil.

Drain some of the bacon oil leaving 1 tablespoon in the bottom of the pan to cook the aromatic vegetables until softened, about 3-5 minutes. If you prefer not to cook with bacon fat, remove the oil from the pan and wipe clean with a paper towel and add 1 tablespoon of your preferred cooking oil.

When the vegetables have softened, add the andouille or smoked sausage and saute for 2-3 minutes.

Next, add the diced tomatoes and tomato paste and stir to combine.

Taste and season with salt and pepper being mindful that the bacon can be quite salty.

Add the cooked rice and stir to incorporate. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon.

Garnish with sliced green onions, optional.

An iconic dish in the Lowcountry region, Charleston Red Rice is a heavily seasoned baked rice recipe that gets its color from tomato paste.  Make a batch soon - it&#039;s delicious!

smoked sausage (finely diced)

green bell pepper (diced)

celery (diced)

tsp minced garlic

rice rice

tsp kosher salt

Cajun seasoning

½ tsp black pepper

sugar

cayenne pepper

parsley

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spray a 9”x13” baking dish with nonstick spray; set aside.

Place a large, deep skillet over medium heat.  Add bacon and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until crispy.  (Note: I used a 12” cast iron skillet.)

Transfer bacon to a paper-towel lined plate.  Leave bacon drippings in skillet.

Using the same skillet, add diced sausage, onions, bell peppers and celery; sauté, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes, or until onions are translucent.

Add garlic; stir and continue sautéing for 1 more minute.

Rinse rice under cold water until the water runs clear.

Add rice to the skillet; stir and continue cooking for 1 minute.

Crumble the cooked bacon and add to the skillet along with the tomato paste, chicken stock, hot sauce, kosher salt, Cajun seasoning, black pepper, sugar and cayenne pepper.  Stir until well combined.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.

Transfer contents of skillet into prepared baking dish.  Cover dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes without uncovering.

Remove dish from oven, fluff the rice with a fork and continue baking (covered with foil) for 10-12 more minutes.

Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

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Top 3 charleston recipes from across the web

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Charleston Shrimp and Grits

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Charleston Red Rice

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