New Orleans Style Barbecue Shrimp
Hello from home! Last week was spent frolicking around New Mexico, but now we’re back in Louisiana and having a swell time. We discovered a new favorite ice cream shop, ate some king cake, and tried a * hip * restaurant that’s been talk of the town (Palm & Pine) with our friend Ben who was visiting. It was very good. Get the goat curry and the Oaxacan mole!
One fun and sometimes challenging part about living in New Orleans is that the holiday season doesn’t actually end until after Mardi Gras, which is usually in February or early March. It’s fun because people basically have parties and gatherings from like… November through February at least. And it’s challenging in the same way I imagine a marathon would be. Once you’re over the hump of the winter holidays, it’s time to start gearing up for a few weeks of our own local manic madness with Carnaval decorations and costume-making and king cake—which if you’re not in the know, is basically a big delicious wreath of cinnamon bread covered in icing and sprinkles and it is in fact the best thing ever. (Dong Phuong’s cream cheese version being the best of the bunch, in my Very Official Opinion.)
In celebration of this special, unique time of year for our little city in the South, we’re sharing one of our absolute favorite local dishes: barbecue shrimp.
And look I know it sounds gross if you’re not aware of what’s going on, but just like my family’s artichoke brownies, you gotta get past your expectations to really enjoy it. Barbecue shrimp has no barbecue sauce, and in fact doesn’t involve a barbecue at all. Instead it consists of big ol’ shrimp cooked in a butter & Worcestershire & shallot & garlic & spice combo and then served with a big loaf of French bread for dipping. It is… the best.
You’re basically looking at a big, buttery mess of shrimp goodness. It’s like someone took a shrimp boil and then dumped all the shrimp in a pound of butter and added French bread. Legend has it that it was created at local restaurant Pascal’s Manale in the 1950s, but in my opinion there is no explanation for this dish except a direct gift from God herself, handed down to humans from the skies.
Once you’ve tried a few of these babies, you’ll agree 100%. Let’s dive into this (very simple) recipe.
It’ll take you just about twenty minutes from start to finish and is really best served immediately, and it doesn’t store all that well, so just gather your ingredients and when you’re ready to eat get a start on it! Also it is absolutely mandatory you have a loaf of crusty bread to enjoy with this so don’t try and skip that part. We’re watching you.
Barbecue Shrimp
for the seasoning mix
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cumin
Combine the spices in a small bowl, whisking together to mix evenly. Makes enough for 2 pounds of shrimp (which is double the below recipe).
For the Shrimp
1 pound fresh jumbo shrimp (we recommend 16/20 count), shells and heads included
1 stick plus 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium shallot, minced
2 teaspoons Worcestershire
1/2 tablespoon seasoning mix (above)
1/2 tablespoon fresh rosemary
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup water
French bread (or crusty bread, at least) for serving
Use a colander to rinse shrimp with cold water and remove any impurities. Drain thoroughly. Pinch off the whiskers and the spiny protrusion on the shrimp heads and discard—that spiny thing can hurt when you’re peeling them later! Leave the rest of the head intact including the eyes. Set aside.
In a skillet or frying pan large enough to fit all of your shrimp (they can be cramped), heat 1 stick butter with garlic, shallot, seasoning mix, rosemary, and Worcestershire over high heat. Use a wooden spoon to coat pan thoroughly with ingredients, as well as to avoid browning. When butter has melted completely, add shrimp to pan.
Cook for 2 minutes, shaking the pan in a back-and-forth motion rather than stirring. Add remaining butter, lemon juice, white wine, and water. Cook and shake another 2 minutes. Serve immediately with French bread.
We love to eat this family style straight from the skillet. Peel your shrimp and dip the meat back in the sauce, or dip a nub of French bread in there to switch things up.
Thanks for stopping by the blog, and as always let us know if you try this recipe out!
xoxo Beau & Matt