email this pageWhile most people are still snuggled in their beds, Hank Groover is busy checking equipment on his 50-foot boat, heading out in the predawn darkness. For nearly 40 years, Groover has trawled for white and brown shrimp in the waterways around Tybee Island, one of the many islands off the coast of Georgia. "Shrimping is a way of life," he explains. "Unfortunately, it's disappearing."
Lured by the independence and the beauty of the sea, Groover was just 15-years-old when he started shrimping and was the only one in his family to hear the call of the sea. "Most are family-run businesses, third or fourth generation shrimpers," he says.
"It used to be that 90 percent of the shrimp we ate were wild domestics and 10 percent were pond-raised imports from Asia," says Eddie Gordon, executive director of Wild American Shrimp. "Now it's the opposite. Most people don't know that, but you have a choice."
Back on the boat, Groover and his crew empty their nets, taking the heads off the shrimp and putting them on ice until they return to the dock in the afternoon. On a good day, he'll haul 500 to 600 pounds of shrimp, selling them to local restaurants and retailers. An hour or so after dawn, Groover's crew boils up some of their catch with a bit of Old Bay seasoning. The shrimp is sweet, meaty and delicious. Dipped in butter or eaten plain, it tastes heavenly. Outside pelicans and seagulls squawk and a school of dolphin follows the boat.
"It doesn't get any better than this," says Groover, pointing to the shrimp in hand.
Shrimp Stats
How do you know if your shrimp is U.S.-caught? Fresh and frozen fish is now required to have an "origin of country" label. Ask for Certified Wild American Shrimp or look for the Wild American Shrimp logo. It may be more expensive than pond-raised shrimp from China, Vietnam or Thailand, but it's worth it.
- Shrimp is the number one seafood consumed by Americans, outranking tuna and salmon.
- Wild-caught shrimp is seasonal and generally of the brown or white variety. Pink shrimp are considered a delicacy and are indigenous to the coast of Florida.
- Depending on the weather, shrimp season runs from May or June through October or November. The majority of U.S. shrimp is caught in fall and comes from Louisiana and Texas.
- Don't assume that because you live near the coast or in a shrimping state your shrimp is local. Chances are, it isn't.
Shrimp and Grits
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Ingredients
1½ cups water
1½ cups 2% reduced-fat milk
¾ cup stone-ground grits
¾ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
Shrimp:
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 bacon slices, chopped
2 cups thickly sliced button mushrooms
½ cup beer
1 cup chopped green onions
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 to 2 dashes Tabasco sauce
Coarsely ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2. To prepare shrimp, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon; sauté until almost crisp. Remove from skillet, reserving pan drippings. Add shrimp and mushrooms to pan drippings; sauté until shrimp is light pink, about 4 minutes.
3. Add beer, green onions and garlic. Cook 2 minutes. Add lemon juice, Tabasco, pepper and parsley.
4. Divide grits among 4 plates. Spoon shrimp mixture on top; sprinkle with crumbled bacon. Serves 4.
"Wild About Shrimp," Oct. 2009.
Shrimp with Smoked Sausage and Roasted Peppers
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Ingredients
1 cup diced onion
1/2 pound smoked sausage (such as kielbasa), cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/8 teaspoon each cayenne, black and white pepper
1/8 teaspoon each dried thyme, oregano and garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 roasted red bell pepper, cut into strips
Recipe courtesy of Wild American Shrimp, "Wild About Shrimp," Oct. 2009.
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