# Smoked Shrimp and Cheesy Grits



## noboundaries (Jul 5, 2014)

Well, I apologize but you're going to have to use your imagination for compiling this delicious recipe.  I planned on taking pics while prepping and smoking but we had lost neighborhood dogs due to fireworks, neighbors coming by, and the camera never made it to the smoker as I was trying to time everything to finish at the same time.  I took pics of the finished product.  It isn't much to look at but man oh man is it packed with flavor, and the smoke flavor really compliments and penetrates cheesy grits.  If you love cheesy grits, you gotta try this!  We ate it as a main course it was so good. 

*Smoked Shrimp and Cheesy Grits*

I had a delicious appetizer at a restaurant recently and decided to try and duplicate the flavor here at home.  This recipe was the result and it was fantastic.  The smoke from the shrimp flavors the cheesy grits beautifully.  It is so delicious.

*Ingredients*
2 lbs colossal shrimp, frozen, peeled, Trader Joe's.
Bay Seasoning, Jeff's seasoning, or any seasoning of choice for shrimp.
Olive oil
15 oz jar Classico Four Cheese Alfredo sauce
3/4 cup whole milk
4  oz neufchatel low fat cream cheese
2 cups Stella brand Three Cheese Italian blend, shredded, or any three cheese Italian blend. 
10 servings Quick grits

*Directions*

1. Thaw the frozen shrimp.  Put them in a large bowl with cold water.  Let them thaw about 45 minutes.  Dump the water and replace it with new cold water.  If there are any tails on the shrimp, remove them and discard.  If the shrimp is already thawed when you change the water, add a few pieces of ice to the water to keep it cold.

2. Fire up the smoker with hickory or pecan wood, then let it come up to settle at a 250°F chamber temp.

3. While the smoker is coming up to temp, drain the shrimp, put them back in the bowl, coat lightly with olive oil, then lightly dust with Bay Seasoning, Jeff's seasoning, or your season of choice, stirring to coat completely.  This isn't about the seasoning so use it sparingly.

4. Place the shrimp on a rack in a pan so the smoke can get all around the shrimp.  Put them in the smoker for an hour.

5. In a Dutch Oven prep the water and salt according to the box directions for 10 servings of the Quick Grits.  While water is heating toward a boil, in a separate saucepan start the cheese sauce.  Add the jar of Four Cheese Alfredo sauce, milk, and cheeses.  Turn the heat to medium low.  Break up the neufchatel cheese with a spoon as you stir constantly to prevent the milk or cheese from burning.  Continue to stir and heat until you see the first wisps of steam and the cheeses are all melted into the sauce.  Turn off the heat and cover.

6. When the water is boiling stir the grits into the water.  Stir quite a bit initially to prevent lumps, then cover and follow the directions, stirring occasionally, cooking the grits twice as long as directed so they are firmer.  They'll thin out when you add the cheese sauce.

7. Add the cheese sauce to the cooked grits and stir to mix thoroughly.

8. After the shrimps have been in the smoker for an hour, take them off and add them to the cheesy grits, stir, and turn the heat to low and let them cook for 10 minutes. Stir again and serve in bowls.













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__ noboundaries
__ Jul 5, 2014


















Smoked Shrimp Cheesy Grits 02.JPG



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__ Jul 5, 2014


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## shoneyboy (Jul 5, 2014)

:Looks-Great:


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## foamheart (Jul 6, 2014)

Looks good, never had smoked shrimps and cheese grits!


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## noboundaries (Jul 6, 2014)

Shrimp is SOOOOOOO pricy these days, out in California anyway.  Literally a $1 a shrimp for the big boys.  First time I bought shrimp in a long time. 

You could easily substitute smoke sausage in this recipe too, about 5-6 links.


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## chef jimmyj (Jul 6, 2014)

That sounds like a GREAT combo. I had my first bowl of long cook Creamy Cheese Grits with Parm Reggiano and Cream Cheese. They were from an Artisan Stone Mill in MS...http://www.gritgirl.net/ .Incredably good! If you like Old South Style Yellow Corn Grits these are Awesome. If you contact Georgeanne tell her Chef Jankoski sent you, her prices are Crazy Cheap!.. Smoked Shrimp would take it to the next level! I am just curious here. That is a lot of cooking for shrimp that are smaller than Colossal 8-10 to a pound. I am assuming Jumbo Shrimp in your area are 16-20 or 21-25, I have seen both labeled Jumbo based on what the largest size the store has that day. I have smoked a lot of shrimp of these sizes at 225°F and 30 minutes is plenty and then you put them in the Grits for another 10 minutes. Since you said they were fantastic, Kudos to ya Bro. The pic below is 21-25 per pound for 25 minutes at 225. Did your's end up more curled than these?...JJ













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__ chef jimmyj
__ Mar 27, 2013






http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/138609/smoked-shrimp-salad-and-flat-iron-steak-po-boy


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## noboundaries (Jul 6, 2014)

The raw, frozen shrimp I used were from a 1 lb bag that said "less than 15."  I just found the bag in the trash.  These were "colossal" shrimp from Trader Joes.  My mistake, didn't realize there was a "colossal" size of shrimp.  I changed the recipe above.

They weren't exactly pink when they came out of the smoker, but they were close, that's why I finished them in the grits.  They were curled just like your picture when they came off the smoker and a tad bit more than your picture, but not much, in the grits.


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## noboundaries (Jul 6, 2014)

Oh, and the grits? Foamheart and I discussed them in a PM.  I spent 9 years in the South and came to love grits.  Unfortunately in California they are difficult to find, especially the stone-ground kind you cook for 30-45 minutes or so.  Oooooh, I do love those.  After going to three grocery store chains I picked up the only ones I could find, the Quick Grits.  They are softer than the real ones but worked.


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## chef jimmyj (Jul 6, 2014)

Since they were Colossal, your cook time makes sense. Check out The Original Grit Girls Stone Ground Grits...Awesome!...JJ

http://www.gritgirl.net/


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## link (Jul 6, 2014)

That looks really good.


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## foamheart (Jul 6, 2014)

LOL..... Chef JJ, I shared my grit supplier with him also, http://www.oakviewfarms.com/   Now that's really funny. There used to be a place called Grit.com that had some totally amazing southern recipes, I still use there coconut cream pie recipe. Then they closed down, then someone reopened them but this time it was to sell stuff to tourists.

When Paula Dean was at her highest she was influencing a lot of people to try southern cooking and grits is about as southern as it gets.

Sorry for the hijack.


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