Creamy, smoky Lowcountry breakfast gravy loaded with fresh shrimp and bacon
Fresh from the skillet — new cookin' straight from the holler!
Rise and shine, it’s Cletus time! This is one of those recipes that sound kinda odd at first but it’s soo good. Shrimp in gravy? With bacon and a little roux magic? Folks down in Charleston been eatin’ this for breakfast longer than most of us been alive, and once you try it you’ll see why it stuck around.
I first tasted a version of this on a trip down South and thought, “Well heck, this ain’t nothin’ but fancy shrimp ’n’ gravy!” Brought it back to the holler, tweaked it with my Kentucky cast-iron ways, and now it’s a regular on the Cletus Cook House table. Creamy, savory, a little smoky from the bacon — perfect over hot grits, rice, or even split biscuits. One bite and you’ll be hollerin’ for seconds.
3 slices thick-cut bacon
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
Ground black pepper, to taste
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1½ cups chicken stock
1. In a big cast-iron skillet over medium heat, fry the bacon till it’s nice and crisp. Pull it out, crumble it up, and set aside. Leave all that glorious bacon grease in the pan.
2. Add the butter to the bacon grease and let it melt. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the flour and keep stirrin’ until it turns a beautiful golden brown (2–3 minutes).
3. Toss in the chopped onion and green bell pepper. Cook until soft and smelling like heaven (about 5 minutes).
4. Stir in the shrimp. Season with seasoned salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Cook just until the shrimp start turning pink (2–3 minutes).
5. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons flour over everything and stir well. Slowly pour in the chicken stock while stirrin’ like crazy to keep lumps out.
6. Bring it to a gentle simmer and let it bubble until the gravy thickens up nice (5–10 minutes). Stir the crumbled bacon back in at the end.
Don’t overcook the shrimp — they only need a quick kiss of heat at the end.
Roux trouble? If it’s too thin, make a quick slurry and whisk it in. Too thick? Splash in a little more stock.
Salt control — seasoned salt and stock can sneak up on you. Taste as you go.
Make ahead — The gravy (minus shrimp) keeps in the fridge 2 days. Just reheat gently and add shrimp at the end.
Add sausage — Throw in some sliced andouille or smoked sausage with the veggies.
Crab it up — Toss in a handful of lump crabmeat at the end.
Spicy kick — Add a pinch of cayenne or hot sauce if your holler likes it with a little fire.
Classic: Creamy stone-ground grits + this gravy = breakfast of champions.
Biscuits on the side for soppin’.
Fried eggs or home fries if you’re goin’ full Southern plate.
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Got a tweak or your own family shrimp gravy secret? Drop it in the comments or holler at me! I read every one!