Recipes Barbecued Shrimp with Cheese Grits 5.0 (2,133) 2 Reviews By happy accident, Amber Huffman combined leftovers of two low-country staples—barbecue and cheddar cheese grits—for a quick Southern fusion meal. It became a Jess Jackson favorite. Here, Huffman tops her grits with grilled shrimp slicked with a tangy, bourbon-based barbecue sauce. "I seriously have received three marriage proposals over a bowl of my cheese grits," says Huffman. "I've accepted none so far." Slideshow: More Southern Recipes By Amber Huffman Updated on January 21, 2020 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © Brown W. Cannon III Active Time: 40 mins Total Time: 1 hrs 20 mins Yield: 6 Ingredients 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 small onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice 2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped 1 1/4 cups ketchup 1/4 cup bourbon 3 tablespoons cider vinegar 2 tablespoons molasses 2 tablespoons honey 2 teaspoons Tabasco 1 teaspoon chopped thyme 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp 1 tablespoon vegetable oil Cheese Grits, for serving Directions In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the ketchup, bourbon, cider vinegar, molasses, honey, Tabasco, thyme and cayenne. Simmer over low heat, until thickened, about 40 minutes. Transfer the barbecue sauce to a blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Pour 1/3 cup of the sauce into a small bowl and reserve the rest. Preheat a grill pan. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and brush on both sides with the 1/3 cup of barbecue sauce. Grease the grill pan with the oil. Grill the shrimp over moderate heat, turning once, until cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer to plates and serve with cheese grits and the remaining barbecue sauce. Make Ahead The barbecue sauce can be refrigerated for up to a week. Suggested Pairing Huffman's rich cheese grits need a wine with some substance, but one that isn't so tannic and massive that it will overwhelm the sweet shrimp—in other words, Pinot Noir. Rate it Print