This week, we’re finally taking a look at that most essential of Southern staples, grits with eggs and bacon from My Cousin Vinny. But that’s not all: sweet grits and shrimp & grits are both quite literally on the table! Just make sure they’re not instant if you’re using them as part of your testimony.

Ingredients

Breakfast Grits Ingredients:

  • 2 Cups water 

  • ½ tsp kosher salt + more to taste

  • ½ Cup stone ground white grits 

  • 1 large dollop pork lard

  • 2 eggs

  • 3 strips of bacon

  • To garnish: 2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Cheese Grits Ingredients: 

  • 1 Cup chicken stock

  • 1 Cup whole milk 

  • ½ tsp kosher salt + more to taste

  • ½ Cup stone ground white grits 

  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter

  • 1 Cup sharp cheddar, shredded

  • ¼ Cup parmesan cheese, grated

  • To taste freshly ground black pepper

Shrimp and Grits Ingredients:

  • 1 lb fresh shrimp, shell on

  • ½ tsp kosher salt + more to taste

  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper + more to taste

  • ¼ tsp smoked paprika

  • ¼ tsp dried oregano 

  • ¼ tsp garlic powder

  • ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper

  • 1 Tbsp neutral oil

  • 2 Cups water

  • 1 tsp black peppercorns 

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 4 slices thick-cut bacon

  • 1 small green bell pepper, diced

  • ½ yellow onion, diced  

  • 1 green onion, thinly sliced

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • ½ Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed

  • ¼ tsp Tabasco sauce (or more to taste)

  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter

  • Cheese Grits (see recipe above)

  • To garnish: parsley, chopped

Sweet Grits Ingredients: 

  • 2 Cups whole milk 

  • ½ tsp kosher salt

  • ½ Cup stone ground white grits 

  • 1 cinnamon stick

  • 1 Tbsp (packed) brown sugar

  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter

  • 1 Tbsp honey

  • Spoonful of jam (mixed berry, apricot, strawberry, ect.)

  • Nuts of choice

Method

Serves: 2-4

Breakfast Grits Method:

  1. Combine the water and salt in a medium pot. Bring the water to a boil.

  2. Add the grits to the water while whisking. 

  3. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the mixture for 15-25 minutes (15 minutes for thinner grits, 25 minutes for thicker grits). Stir the mixture occasionally during the cooking process to avoid clumping.

  4. Once cooked to your desired thickness, season the grits with more salt to taste. Keep warm until ready to serve.

  5. Meanwhile, heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the lard and allow it to melt completely. 

  6. Add the bacon and eggs to the preheated lard.

  7. Cook the bacon until fully cooked and crisp, about 4-5 minutes. Cook the eggs until the whites are fully set and beginning to crisp, about 3 minutes. Then flip the eggs and cook for 30-seconds to 1 minutes to allow the yolk to solidify slightly. 

  8. Plate the grits and top with the butter squares. 

  9. Serve with the bacon and over-easy eggs.

Cheese Grits Method:

  1. Combine the chicken stock, milk, and salt in a medium pot. Bring the water to a boil.

  2. Add the grits to the boiling liquid while whisking. 

  3. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the mixture for 15-25 minutes (15 minutes for thinner grits, 25 minutes for thicker grits). Stir the mixture occasionally during the cooking process to avoid clumping.

  4. Once cooked to your desired thickness, turn off the heat. Add the butter and cheeses to the grits and stir to combine them thoroughly. Season the grits to taste with more salt and pepper.

  5. Keep the grits covered until ready to serve.

Shrimp and Grits Method:

  1. Peel and devein the shrimp. Reserve the shrimp shells. 

  2. In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. 

  3. Combine the reserved shrimp shells in a medium pot with the oil. Sear the shrimp shells for 1-2 minutes, then add the water, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the water has reduced to 1 cup of liquid. Strain the stock and reserve until ready to use.

  4. Cook the bacon in a large high-sided skillet. 

  5. Remove the bacon from the pan and chop into bite size pieces. Reserve until ready to use. 

  6. Sear the shrimp for 30 seconds on each side in the residual bacon fat. Transfer the par-cooked shrimp to a separate plate. Sprinkle the cooking shrimp with the spice mixture.

  7. Add the onion, bell pepper, and green onion to the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes or just until tender. 

  8. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute or until the garlic is fragrant. 

  9. Deglaze the pan with the reserved shrimp stock. Simmer the vegetables for 3-5 minutes or until the liquid has reduced to about ½ cup. 

  10. Add the shrimp back to the pan and cook until the shrimp is heated through, about 2 minutes.

  11. Finish the sauce with the lemon juice, tabasco sauce, and butter. Season to taste with more salt and pepper. 

  12. Serve the shrimp over top of the cheesy grits. Garnish with fresh parsley and reserved bacon.

Sweet Grits Method:

  1. Combine the milk and salt in a medium pot. Bring the milk to a boil.

  2. Add the grits to the boiling liquid while whisking and add the cinnamon stick to the pot. 

  3. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the mixture for 15-25 minutes (15 minutes for thinner grits, 25 minutes for thicker grits). Stir the mixture occasionally during the cooking process to avoid clumping.

  4. Once cooked to your desired thickness, remove the cinnamon stick and turn off the heat.

  5. Stir in the brown sugar and butter.

  6. Serve with sweet grits with a drizzle of honey, jam and nuts of your choice.