Kardea’s Shrimp and Grits
This week on Your Mama’s Kitchen, I am joined by the fabulous, Emmy-nominated, and New York Times Best Selling chef, TV host, and author Kardea Brown for what is without a doubt one of our most DELICIOUS conversations yet!
As a kitchen aficionado myself, I always love when my guest and I can just dig into the weeds in figuring out how to make food sing, as Kardea and I do throughout our conversation. She shares her go-to kitchen staples, the five components of her signature seasoning blend, and as you can see in this preview clip, I can barely keep myself in my seat as Kardea describes her knockout recipe for a desert that combines cheesecake and sweet potato pie!
Whew Lord!!!
She opens up about her ancestral history, and describes how it continues to drive her purpose as she works to prevent cherished traditions from being erased via her cooking show, her digital platform, and her upcoming cookbook, “Make Do With What You Have”—out in stores everywhere on November 11th!
Kardea officially shares with us her recipe for Shrimp and Grits, done Gullah style!
Check out this episode of Your Mama’s Kitchen now on YT and wherever you find your podcasts. 🎧
Listen, and as always, let us know whatcha think!
Ingredients4 SERVINGS:
4 strips bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound medium uncooked wild shrimp, peeled and deveined
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons all purpose flour, divided (plus more if needed)
A heavy pinch of garlic powder, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil, plus more if needed
1 cup hot water
Kosher Salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 cup green onions sliced on a bias
GRITS:
2 ½ cups heavy cream, (reserve the ½ cup)
½ stick unsalted butter
Kosher salt
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups speckled stone-ground grits (I use Marsh Hen Mill)
2 cups white cheddar
INSTRUCTIONS:
Seasoned jumbo shrimp cooked in a brown pan gravy served over creamy stone ground Marsh Hen Mill grits.
FOR THE SHRIMP
In a bowl sprinkle the uncooked shrimp with a 1 tablespoon of flour, few pinches of salt, pepper and garlic powder then toss. Set aside.
Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium-high heat.
Add the bacon and cook until crispy. Remove and set aside, reserving the drippings in the pan.
Add the onions to the skillet. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and cook on medium-low, stirring, until slightly tender and the skillet has browned bits, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Turn the skillet up to medium-high heat and add the canola oil. Add the remaining flour.
Stir until flour and onions have browned together.
Now add the seasoned shrimp and cook until the shrimp has turned slightly pink.
Slowly whisk in the hot water and bring to a slight boil, stir, and reduce the heat to a simmer until the gravy thickens and browns, about 5 mins.
Taste the gravy and add adjust to your liking. I usually add a little more salt and freshly cracked pepper. You may also add more garlic powder if you want. The consistency of the gravy should be slightly thick but not gummy. Serve the shrimp over the prepared grits topped with green onions and reserved bacon.
FOR THE GRITS
Combine 2 cups heavy cream, butter, a heavy pinch of salt and water a large saucepan.
Whisk in the grits. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer, cover but keep stirring occasionally, until the liquid is absorbed, and the grits are creamy, about 45 minutes. (Add the reserved ½ cup of heavy cream if the grits look too thick). Stir in cheese. Taste and adjust to your liking. Serve with shrimp gravy.
Michele’s Kitchen Notes
Grits are not a thing you try for the first time and win. Many of us have suffered epic grit failures because the pan was too hot, we didn’t have enough water, or didn’t stir enough, resulting in lumpy or watery grits. Here are some tips I would use and please do a few practice runs before serving to guests.
1. Pick the right grits
Stone-ground grits have the most flavor but take the longest (30–45 min).
Quick grits cook faster (5–7 min) but can be less rich in flavor.
Avoid instant grits if you want good texture.
2. Liquid ratio matters
A good rule of thumb: 4 parts liquid to 1 part grits.
Use half water, half milk (or broth) for the best balance of creaminess and flavor.
3. Heat & stirring
Bring liquid to a boil, whisk in grits slowly to prevent clumping.
Lower heat to low simmer right away.
Stir often (every couple minutes) with a whisk or wooden spoon to prevent sticking and lumps.
4. Seasoning
Salt the liquid before adding grits (they won’t absorb salt well after cooking).
Add a little butter early, and more at the end if you want them extra rich.
5. Finishing touches
When thick and tender, stir in cheese, cream, or extra butter.
For savory grits, try sharp cheddar, Parmesan, or goat cheese.
For breakfast-style sweet grits, finish with honey, brown sugar, or cinnamon.
6. Patience pays off
The longer you cook (especially stone-ground), the creamier and more flavorful they’ll be. If they get too thick, whisk in a little more hot water, milk, or cream.
