Chef Tom fires up the Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to cook up a Louisiana classic, just in time for Mardi Gras. It’s Barbecue Shrimp & Grits!
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Charring the shrimp on GrillGrates with the lid open, rather than fully cooking it there, lets the sauce finish the shrimp gently afterward instead of risking it drying out over direct heat
- Warming the cream and chicken stock in a skillet on the grill before adding it to the grits means the liquid is already hot when whisked in, so the grits don't cool down and have to come back to a simmer from scratch
- Reducing the beer and Worcestershire by half before adding the cream concentrates the sauce's flavor, rather than diluting it with a full-volume liquid base
- Adding the butter slowly in pieces while stirring constantly builds a thickened, emulsified sauce rather than a thin, separated pan sauce
Barbecue Shrimp & Grits
Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 2 users
Category
Entree
Cuisine
Cajun
Servings
4
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Calories
244
Experience the flavorful, smoky deliciousness of Chef Tom's Barbecue Shrimp & Grits! This traditional Louisiana recipe is prepared on the grill to give you the ultimate Mardi Gras experience.
Ingredients
- 2 lb jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails on
-
Meat Church Holy Voodoo Seasoning
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced, for garnish
-
1 tbsp Colonial Chile Oil
- 1/2 cup red onion, small dice
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary
-
1 tsp Meat Church Holy Voodoo Seasoning
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- Juice of 1 lemon
-
1/4 cup Worcestershire
-
1 tbsp Killer Hogs Hot Sauce
- 1 cup beer
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, diced
-
Noble Saltworks Hickory Smoked Salt, to taste
- 6 cups water
- 1 3/4 cups yellow stone ground grits
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 4 oz smoked cheddar, grated
- 2 oz Parmigiano Reggiano, fine grated
- 2 oz unsalted butter
-
Noble Saltworks Hickory Smoked Salt, to taste
For the sauce:
For the grits:
Directions
Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 450ºF, set up with direct and indirect grilling zones. Place GrillGrate grilling panels over the fire box for direct grilling.
To make the grits, bring the water to a boil in a Lodge 5 Quart Dutch Oven. Slowly add grits whisking constantly until all grits are incorporated. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring frequently to avoid scorching, until the grits are thickened and al dente in texture (softened but not mushy).
Combine the heavy cream and chicken stock in a Lodge 8” Cast Iron Skillet. Transfer the skillet to the grill to warm the mixture. When the grits are thickened and softened, whisk in the hot cream and milk mixture and bring back to a simmer. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheeses and butter. Cover with a lid and set aside.
- Thread the shrimp onto double pronged skewers. Season on both sides with the Meat Church Holy Voodoo Seasoning. Grill the skewered shrimp on the GrillGrates, cooking with the lid of the grill open. Char the surface of the shrimp, then flip. Repeat. Remove from the grill. The shrimp do not need to be fully cooked at this point.
- To make the sauce, heat the oil in a Lodge 12” cast iron skillet. Add the onion and cook over medium heat until lightly browned around the edges.
- Add the garlic, rosemary, Meat Church Holy Voodoo Seasoning, smoked paprika and cayenne. Cook for about one minute, until fragrant, but not browned.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and beer. Bring to a simmer and reduce by half. Stir in the cream, then reduce the heat to low. Add the shrimp. Then begin adding the butter slowly, stirring constantly and adding more butter as it melts until all butter is incorporated. Taste and season with the Noble Saltworks Smoked Salt, as needed.
- Serve the shrimp and sauce over the grits. Top the Barbecue Shrimp & Grits with fresh minced parsley for garnish.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why char the shrimp on the grill without fully cooking it through?
Searing it just enough to build char on both sides lets the sauce finish cooking the shrimp gently afterward, rather than risking it drying out from a longer stint over direct heat.
Why warm the cream and chicken stock in a skillet on the grill before adding it to the grits?
Heating the liquid beforehand means it's already hot when whisked into the thickened grits, so the mixture goes straight back to a simmer rather than cooling down and needing extra time to reheat.
Why reduce the beer and Worcestershire sauce by half before adding the cream?
Letting that liquid cook down concentrates its flavor into the sauce base. Adding the cream before reducing would dilute the Worcestershire and beer before they've had a chance to intensify.
Why add the butter slowly in pieces while stirring constantly, rather than all at once?
Gradual incorporation builds a thickened, emulsified sauce. Adding all the butter at once risks it separating into a thin, greasy pan sauce instead.
What internal temperature should the shrimp actually reach?
This recipe explicitly notes the shrimp isn't fully cooked after the initial char, then simmers it in the sauce as the butter is worked in. Shrimp needs to reach a minimum internal temperature of 145°F to be safe — check with an instant-read thermometer before serving rather than relying on the sauce time alone.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
4 out of 5 — a hot cast iron grill pan or broiler can char the shrimp, and the grits and sauce both come together entirely on the stovetop.
Recipe Highlights
Partial-char shrimp: Finishes cooking gently in the sauce.
Pre-warmed grits liquid: Keeps the grits from cooling during assembly.
Reduced beer-Worcestershire base: Concentrates the sauce's flavor.
Gradual butter incorporation: Builds a thickened, emulsified sauce.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 18.97 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 244
- Carbs
- 7 grams
- Protein
- 22 grams
- Fat
- 13 grams
- Sodium
- 1440 milligrams
