Barbecued Bourbon Shrimp With Cheddar Cheese Grits

Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 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 sauce (more or less, as warranted)
• 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• kosher salt, to taste
• fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 1/2 lbs peeled and deveined large shrimp
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup old-fashioned grits
• 4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• kosher salt, to taste
• fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Recipe

• 1 shrimp:.
• 2 in a medium saucepan, melt the butter.
• 3 add the onion and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 5 minutes.
• 4 add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• 5 stir in the ketchup, bourbon, cider vinegar, molasses, honey, tabasco, thyme and cayenne.
• 6 simmer over low heat, until thickened, about 40 minutes.
• 7 transfer the barbecue sauce to a blender and puree until smooth.
• 8 season with salt and pepper.
• 9 pour 1/3 cup of the sauce into a small bowl and reserve the rest.
• 10 preheat a grill pan.
• 11 season the shrimp with salt and pepper and brush on both sides with the 1/3 cup of barbecue sauce.
• 12 grease the grill pan with the oil.
• 13 grill the shrimp over moderate heat, turning once, until cooked through, about 4 minutes.
• 14 cheese grits:.
• 15 in a medium saucepan, bring the chicken broth & crushed red pepper flakes, if using, to a boil.
• 16 add the garlic and slowly stir in the grits.
• 17 reduce the heat to moderately low and cook, stirring frequently, until the grits are tender, 20 minutes.
• 18 remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the cheese, butter, and cream.
• 19 transfer to plates and serve with cheese grits and the remaining barbecue sauce.