The generations-old combination of shrimps and hominy is as ubiquitous in South Carolina as cheesesteak sandwiches in Philadelphia, blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay or barbecue in North Carolina. But, did you ever think about how the unsung Native American grain and the favorite coastal crustacean came together to create the Palmetto State’s culinary darling?
Shrimp & grits are found throughout the Palmetto State — Photo courtesy of iStock / nicolesy
One of the earliest printed references to what is known today known as shrimp and grits was in 1931’s Two-Hundred Years of Charleston Cooking, a collection of recipes gathered by Blanche S. Rhett, the wife of R. Goodwyn Rhett, who served as Mayor of Charleston from 1903 to 1911. The recipe is credited to the Rhett’s long-time African-American butler, William Deas.
It seems that Deas, along with many other African-Americans who arrived in Charleston during the transatlantic slave trade (as well as coastal fisherman) ate "breakfast shrimp" regularly during shrimp season. Early versions consisted of standard creek water shrimp, hot hominy (as grits were called back in the day), melted butter and salt and pepper, and they were quick, hearty and satisfying.
However, shrimp and grits were typically made and eaten at home. It wasn’t found in restaurants until the 1980s, when Bill Neal, a restauraneur from Gaffney, S.C. who ran a fancy French restaurant in Chapel Hill, N.C., decided to switch gears and open a more casual joint serving up the simple kind of cooking he had grown up with. Using basic ingredients, Neal’s version of shrimp and grits, featuring cheese grits covered with jumbo shrimp, mushrooms, bacon and sliced green onions, debuted at Crook’s Corner.
It wasn’t until Craig Claiborne, the long-time food writer and editor from The New York Times, wrote a feature about a visit he made to Neal’s home and restaurant in the mid-1980s that shrimp and grits became a household name.
From there, chefs that had spent time working with or for Bill Neal took the bones of the recipe to their restaurants, put their own spin on it, and the rest, as they say, is history.
One of the longest-standing versions of shrimp and grits is found in Charleston at Poogan’s Porch. Recently named the Best Shrimp & Grits in South Carolina in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards, Poogan’s has had some form of shellfish or fish on grits on their menu since they opened in 1977.
Today, their take on the classic dish is a bit more elevated than the breakfast shrimp of yore, using tasso ham brown gravy, sweet onions, bell peppers and shrimp over stone-ground Adluh grits.
According to chef Dan Doyle, "We always source our shrimp from the Southeast. Obviously, we use local shrimp when they are in season, but when they are not, we make sure they come from within the region. The freshness of the shrimp makes a big difference."
Obviously, the grits do as well. "Our grits are made in Columbia, S.C., and we’ve been using those for at least 25 years. Our slow-cooked grits take it to the next level for a creamy, hearty dish," he continues.
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When asked what would happen if they took their shrimp and grits off the menu, Doyle says, "Mass hysteria. We make between 60 and 80 shrimp and grits dishes a day. The dish has become synonymous with Poogan’s Porch, and we’re honored by that."
Another long-standing shrimp and grits tradition can be found along Bay Street in Charleston at venerable Slightly North of Broad (SNOB) – also on the USA TODAY 10Best list. Beloved chef Frank Lee originally added his version to the menu as an offshoot of his famed Frogmore stew.
Lee’s interpretation features house-made kielbasa sausage, country ham and peppers, sautéed with shrimp, garlic, tomatoes and Cajun spice in a shrimp stock and butter sauce served over Edisto Island’s Geechie Boy Mill grits. Winning GQ magazine’s Golden Dish Award in 1994, Lee’s version of shrimp and grits is still being served at SNOB, even though Lee retired in 2016.
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Meanwhile, chefs across the state were taking note of the shrimp and grits revolution in the Lowcountry and started putting it on their menus – including several other USA TODAY 10Best shrimp & grits honorees. In the Midlands of South Carolina, Jon and Amy Fortes of Flipside Café in Rock Hill start with a smoked tomato base with andouille sausage, spinach, caramelized onions and charred peppers over South Carolina grits, all served in a cast iron pot.
In the Upcountry, Soby’s New South Cuisine of Greenville, S.C. has had a version of shrimp and grits on their menu since the day they opened in 1997. According to Rodney Freidank, corporate chef of Soby’s parent company, Table 301, "We’ve always had shrimp and grits on the menu, but the specific dish has evolved with each chef that’s run the Soby’s kitchen. No matter which version of the dish happens to be on the menu, it has always been one of the most popular dishes."
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Chef Jason Scholz and his wife, Julia, keep shrimp and grits on the menu of Stella’s Southern Brasserie in Greenville (and sister Stella’s Southern Bistro in Simpsonville) because of the South Carolina heritage that the dish represents. "People absolutely love it. Most have a memory or story that they share of how their mother or grandmother prepared the dish. Shrimp and grits [has] its own legacy in many families," says Scholz.
That legacy will obviously continue to live on in South Carolina as chefs, diners and home cooks of the Palmetto State continue to pass along this tasty tradition to future generations.
