Chef John's Shrimp and Grits Recipe

Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat turning occasionally until almost crisp 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer bacon to a dish leaving drippings in the skillet.

Whisk 1/4 cup water cream lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce together in a bowl.

Stir 4 cups water butter and 1 teaspoon salt together in a pot; bring to a boil. Whisk grits into pot bring to a simmer reduce heat to low and cook until grits are creamy 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and stir white Cheddar cheese into grits.

Place shrimp in a large bowl and season with Cajun seasoning 1/2 teaspoon salt black pepper and a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Heat skillet with bacon drippings over high heat. Cook shrimp in hot bacon fat in a single layer for 1 minute. Turn shrimp and add jalapeno; cook until fragrant about 30 seconds. Stir cream mixture bacon green onion and garlic to shrimp mixture; cook and stir adding water as necessary to thin the sauce until shrimp are cooked through 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley.

Ladle grits into a bowl and top with shrimp and sauce.