Ever since I made my first shrimp & grits, I’ve wanted to make them again. While visiting my sister and brother-in-law in Alaska, I finally had the chance to recreate the dish for them.
On the second Saturday of my trip, my sister took me to
South Anchorage Farmers’ Market.
As soon as we arrived, I went straight to the seafood stalls. I spotted beautiful shrimp and asked the vendor from Arctic Choice Seafood where they were caught. She told me they had been hauled in the day before from the cold waters near Whittier, AK. She even peeled one and ate it right away to show how fresh they were. I bought two pounds, perfect for shrimp & grits.
Below is a photo I took while kayaking on Prince William Sound out of Whittier. It was chilly on the water. I’ll write more about the kayaking trip soon — I have many photos and plenty of stories, including how our guide ended up in the water and had to be rescued.
Back to the Farmers’ Market…
The market offered an array of local produce, meat, seafood, cheeses, baked goods, jellies and jams, crafts, and live music. The atmosphere was lively and welcoming; vendors and visitors were friendly and eager to share. The photo below captures the market’s energy.
I’d never heard of snow apple turnips before the market, so we bought a few to try. My sister sliced them with other vegetables and served them with dip. They were crunchy with a mild flavor and a texture similar to radishes — great raw in a salad. I’d like to learn more ways to cook with them.
Back to the Shrimp & Grits…
Before making the dish I needed a good Cajun seasoning blend.
I couldn’t find Tone’s locally, but I visited a great shop in Anchorage,
Summit Spice & Tea, where I found a fantastic Cajun blend.
This Cajun blend was perfect and added great flavor to the shrimp.
I prepared a delicious batch of shrimp with cheesy grits. This time I used four strips of applewood smoked bacon instead of ham and slightly reduced the Cajun seasoning. The result was rich and satisfying.
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Head to the Food Network for this Shrimp & Grits recipe:
I used photos from a previous batch because I was too hungry to photograph the meal this time.
Here are a few photos from that earlier batch.
Here are a few tips:
CHEESY GRITS
#1 lesson I learned while researching shrimp & grits:
Do not use instant grits. Use quick or stone-ground grits for the best texture.
Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan and whisk continuously when you add grits to the liquid. Grits can stick and burn easily, so monitor the heat. Start over medium heat, then lower the heat as they thicken and whisk often. Keep a heat-resistant spatula on hand to scrape the bottom and sides of the pan.
SHRIMP
The first time I made this recipe I used frozen raw peeled and deveined wild Gulf shrimp, since wild Georgia shrimp weren’t available locally. I bought two one-pound bags and used all of it—about a half-pound more than the recipe called for. In Alaska I was fortunate to use fresh-caught shrimp, which were excellent.
The shrimp had a noticeable kick from the seasoning.
If you prefer less spice, reduce the Cajun seasoning and the dish will still be delicious.
Be careful not to overcook the shrimp; they cook quickly in 3 to 5 minutes.
Make sure you have extra chicken broth on hand — it proved useful for adjusting the sauce.
I used about an additional 1/2 cup beyond what the recipe suggested because the roux I made from the shrimp drippings and flour became very thick. The extra chicken broth thinned it to the right consistency. That additional broth is separate from the 1 cup of broth called for later in the sauce.
The sauce turned out perfectly.
Here is the finished dish.
Thanks for stopping by!
Cheers!