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How to Make Grits a Ya Ya - A Step-by-Step Guide

Grits a Ya Ya is a Southern classic dish that brings together the creamy texture of grits with the rich flavors of shrimp, bacon, and mushrooms. This dish is a perfect combination of comfort food and Southern flavors, making it a popular choice for any meal of the day.

The name "Grits a Ya Ya" has an interesting origin. It is said to have been named after a popular dish served at the now-closed Ya Ya's Chophouse in Gulf Shores, Alabama. The dish gained popularity for its unique combin...

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Ingredients

  • 3 ½ cups chicken stock
  • ¾ cup old fashioned grits
  • ¼ cup heavy cream, plus more as needed
  • 1 cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese, or more to taste
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 8 slices bacon, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon minced shallot
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 splash white wine
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2 cups chopped spinach
  • 1 cup chopped portobello mushrooms
  • ¼ cup sliced green onions
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 dash hot pepper sauce, or to taste
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste

Information

  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 50 mins
  • Servings: 6

  • Prepare the grits: Bring chicken stock to a boil in a saucepan over high heat.
  • Slowly pour grits into stock while stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; simmer until grits are tender and thick, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in heavy cream to thin out the grits. Stir in Gouda cheese and butter until melted and smooth.
  • While grits are cooking, make the shrimp sauce: Place bacon in a large, deep skillet over medium heat; cook until bacon fat is rendered, about 3 minutes.
  • Stir in shallot and garlic; cooking and stirring until shallots are tender, about 5 minutes.
  • Pour in white wine and stir in butter, cooking and stirring until butter has melted.
  • Drop shrimp in the skillet; cook and stir until they are bright pink on the outside and the meat is no longer transparent in the center, about 3 minutes.
  • Stir in spinach, mushrooms, and green onions; cook and stir until the spinach wilts, about 2 minutes more.
  • Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon.
  • Stir in heavy cream to the sauce. Simmer until the cream is reduced by about a third, about 10 minutes. Season with hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Return shrimp to the skillet to heat through.
  • Serve shrimp with sauce over the prepared grits.

    • Nutrition

    839 cal.

    • Total Fat: 71g
    • Saturated Fat: 39g
    • Cholesterol: 322mg
    • Sodium: 1109mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 22g
    • Dietary Fiber: 1g
    • Total Sugars: 2g
    • Protein: 30g
    • Vitamin C: 8mg
    • Calcium: 272mg
    • Iron: 3mg
    • Potassium: 533mg

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