APEX Legacy · a way of life

Shrimp and Grits

Not 'Low Country cuisine.' This is a Gullah Geechee original — Sea Island shrimp over stone-ground grits, born in Black hands on the Carolina coast.

Compiled by APEX Legacy from published research and documented food history, under the editorial direction of Jonathan Jackson, Founder. How we write and review these pages →

Why it is ours

Gullah Geechee women sold shrimp and grits as a breakfast food on the streets of Charleston and Beaufort for over a century. When Charleston restaurants put it on menus in the 1980s, they named it 'Low Country cuisine' without naming its Black origin.

What it does

Wild-caught shrimp is one of the highest iodine foods available — iodine deficiency is linked to thyroid dysfunction, fatigue, and metabolic slowdown. Choline supports brain function and cardiovascular health. Stone-ground grits retain the germ and carry more nutrients than instant.

How it is cooked

Use stone-ground grits — 30–40 minutes, not comparable to instant. Cook in water or low-sodium chicken stock with a small amount of butter. Shrimp: peel, devein, season with smoked paprika, garlic, and black pepper, cook 90 seconds per side in a hot cast-iron pan.

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