Shrimp and grits is a Southern classic, but I wanted to take it somewhere sunnier. Colossal shrimp soak in Smoke on Wheels marinade for an hour, get dusted with a mix of Yardbird and Jamaican Jerk rubs, then go over a bed of hot coals on my Santa Maria grill. I baste them with a pineapple and Firebug Mild Grillin' Sauce glaze while they pick up a slight char.
The grits are where the tropical flavor comes in. I cook Marsh Hen Mill white grits in coconut milk, pineapple juice, and a spoonful of Kansas wildflower honey, right over the same fire. They come out creamy, a little sweet, and a perfect match for the sweet heat on the shrimp.
What You'll Love
- One fire, two dishes. The grits and the shrimp cook over the same bed of coals. Raising or lowering the grate gives you a gentle simmer for the grits and a hot sear for the shrimp.
- Pineapple coconut grits. Coconut milk, pineapple juice, and a spoonful of Kansas wildflower honey turn plain white grits into a creamy, lightly sweet base.
- Three layers of flavor on the shrimp. A one-hour marinade, a Yardbird and Jamaican Jerk rub blend, and a pineapple barbecue baste each add something different.
- Sweet heat, not scorching heat. Firebug Mild Grillin' Sauce keeps the glaze friendly, while the jerk rub brings a gentle Caribbean warmth.
- Shrimp that cook in minutes. Colossal shrimp go on the skewers, over the coals, and off again fast, so there's very little hovering over the grill.
- Easy to get ahead. The marinade does its work in the fridge, and the basting sauce is just a quick whisk you can do before the fire is ready.
Pineapple Coconut Grits with BBQ Shrimp
Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Dinner
Cuisine
Southern / Caribbean-Inspired
Servings
4
Prep Time
1 minute
Cook Time
45 minutes
Calories
570
Colossal shrimp grilled over live coals and basted with pineapple barbecue sauce, served over creamy coconut grits cooked right on the same fire.
Ingredients
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1 lb colossal shrimp, shells removed, tail on
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1 cup Smoke on Wheels Pork Marinade
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3 tbsp Plowboys BBQ Yardbird Rub
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3 tbsp Plowboys BBQ Jamaican Jerk Rub
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1 1/2 cups Firebug Mild Grillin' Sauce
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1/2 cup pineapple juice
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1 1/2 cups coconut milk
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3/4 cup pineapple juice
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3/4 cup water
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3/4 cup Marsh Hen Mill White Grits
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1 tbsp Reida Honey Farm Kansas Wildflower Honey
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1 tsp coconut oil
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Jacobsen Salt Co. Black Garlic Salt, to taste
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1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced on a bias
For the Shrimp:
For the Pineapple Barbecue Sauce:
For the Coconut Grits:
To Finish:
Directions
Marinate the Shrimp
I put the shrimp in a gallon bag with the Smoke on Wheels Pork Marinade and let them marinate in the refrigerator for one hour.
Build the Fire
While the shrimp marinate, I build a hot coal bed with lump charcoal and split wood in the Brasero of my Yoder Smokers El Dorado Santa Maria Grill. I like to have the fire going and settled into good coals before I start cooking anything.
Season the Shrimp and Mix the Sauce
I thread the shrimp onto metal skewers, then mix the Plowboys BBQ Yardbird Rub and Jamaican Jerk Rub together and season the shrimp with that blend.
For the basting sauce, I whisk the pineapple juice and Firebug Mild Grillin' Sauce together. I make sure it's at least room temperature or slightly warm, so it brushes on easily and doesn't chill the shrimp on the grill.
Cook the Coconut Grits
I combine the coconut milk, pineapple juice, water, and honey in a pot and set it on the grate above the Brasero, keeping the main cooking grates raised all the way up. I bring it to a boil, then slowly add the grits while whisking constantly.
Once the mixture starts to bubble, I move the pot to the raised cooking grates and lower the grates toward the fire to hold a lower heat. I stir frequently until the grits are fully cooked, about 10 to 15 minutes, raising or lowering the grate as needed to keep the heat steady. I cover the pot to keep the grits warm and raise the grates all the way up so I can grill the shrimp.
Grill the Shrimp
I place the skewers on the grate above the Brasero. You can also take the grate off and rest the skewers in the notches at the top of the Brasero. I cook the shrimp until they have a slight char on all sides, basting them with the pineapple barbecue sauce as they cook.
To check doneness, I slice into the center of the fat end of a shrimp. I'm looking for it to be almost opaque, about 140°F, and then I take it off the heat.
Serve
I slide the shrimp off the skewers and serve them over the grits. I finish with sliced green onions and a little more of the pineapple barbecue sauce on top.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Do I need a Santa Maria-style grill to make this?
No. The idea is simply to have a hot zone for the shrimp and a gentler zone for the grits. Any charcoal grill set up with a hot side and a cooler side will give you the same result.
Is this recipe spicy?
It's mild. Firebug Mild Grillin' Sauce keeps the heat gentle, and the Jamaican Jerk Rub adds warmth rather than fire. If you want more kick, swap in Firebug's hot sauce for part of the glaze.
Can I use smaller shrimp?
Yes, but they cook faster than colossal shrimp, so watch them closely and pull them as soon as they turn opaque. Threading them on skewers keeps them from falling through the grate.
Can I make the grits ahead of time?
You can. Grits thicken as they cool, so reheat them gently over low heat and whisk in a splash of coconut milk or water to loosen them back up before serving.
Can I make this recipe indoors?
I'd rate this a 3 out of 5 for indoor cooking. You can make the grits on the stove and cook the shrimp under the broiler or on a grill pan, but you'll lose the coal fire char and smoke that make this dish special, so I recommend the grill.
Recipe Highlights & Insights
The grate height does all the temperature control. Raising and lowering the cooking grate over the Brasero lets you simmer the grits low and then sear the shrimp hot, all over one fire with no second burner needed.
The grits do double duty as a flavor base. Cooking them in coconut milk and pineapple juice with a little wildflower honey gives them a sweetness that plays off the jerk-spiced shrimp, so the plate tastes balanced instead of heavy.
The shrimp get three rounds of seasoning. The marinade goes on first, then the Yardbird and Jamaican Jerk rub blend, and finally the pineapple barbecue baste on the grill, so every layer shows up in the finished bite.
Slicing into the tail takes the guesswork out of doneness. Shrimp go from perfect to overcooked fast on live coals. Checking the thickest part of the shrimp for just-opaque meat lets you pull them at the right moment.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 12 oz.
- per serving
- Calories
- 570
- Fat
- 22 grams
- Saturated Fat
- 17 grams
- Cholesterol
- 215 milligrams
- Sodium
- 1670 milligrams
- Carbs
- 68 grams
- Fiber
- 3 grams
- Sugar
- 35 grams
- Protein
- 28 grams
