New Orleans BBQ Shrimp Recipe (2024)

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Usha

Just FYI. In NOLA the shrimp aren’t peeled. Part of the head is snipped off. The fatty part on the top of head stays on. Can’t do this starting with frozen shrimp. Use fresh caught wild. Then lots of butter pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Need good fresh French bread for mopping up sauce

Hopbell

This is great served over rice. I love the richness of the texture. I make this all through the summer months....

Bruce J

Do not remove the shells, they add flavor to the sauce and to the shrimp. A bit messy but that's part of the NOLA experience. Also, don't forget a baguette, break off chunks to sop up the sauce.

Bonna

I was disappointed that the recipe doesn’t create as much sauce as shown in the photo, and it also didn’t want to thicken up. But no matter, the flavor was still divine. This one is a keeper.

Stephen F

This recipe is really good, either as written or with additional butter and Worcestershire sauce. But unless your shrimp are the size of a standard SUV, cooking them for 5 minutes over high heat is a risky proposition. I get the butter, garlic and Worcestershire going, and then add the shrimp for 3 minutes. If they need more time, they get it (unlikely they will), but you don't run the danger of ending up with leather after 5 minutes.

Kirsten

The recipe my family uses picks up on a couple of points that others mentioned: 1. Shell-on shrimp, which makes the sauce that much richer2. Sauce isn't just butter, but butter and beer and clam juice3. Herbs! Rosemary and crumbled bay leaf. I like the idea of a "quick & easy" version of barbecue shrimp, but I have a feeling I'd be longing for the other flavors.

gp

So easy and delicious - great way to elevate Trader Joe’s frozen raw tail-on shrimp for those of us who can’t get fresh gulf shrimp. With rice and roasted broccoli - dinner on the table in 20 mins.

Luther

Really simple, really good and really quick. Used 1 1/2 lbs shrimp, 6 tbls. butter, 4 tbls. of Worcestershire sauce plus other ingredients as listed. Will use this one a lot. Thanks Mr. Bittman.

Sara

Was not bland at all but I added 4.5 tbsp of worchestershire, 5 cloves of minced garlic, and 2 tbsp of red pepper flakes to 2lb of frozen shrimp.

Shirleyten

I make a dish like this fairly often. Needs lots of fresh lemon slices, garlic, BUTTER and a little red pepper along with parsley. Unpeeled shririmp and lots of French bread make this the most wonderful dish. Be sure and cook it under the broiler. You will want to have plenty of napkins handy and licking your fingers is perfectly acceptable.

nanbrand

My shrimp were frozen, so when I added them to the pan, there was lots of extra water, which helped add to the sauce. I had to lengthen the cooking time so the sauce would cook down. I used three tbsps. of Worcestershire and doubled the garlic. I also added red pepper flakes. This is an easy and tasty dish and is very good accompanied with rice.

Dee Ratterree

From a New Orleanian: leave the shells on, half the flavor is in the peeling and eating. Never soy sauce, add some Tabasco.

Anonymous

I much prefer Chef Paul Prudhomme's version that includes shrimp broth and a bit of beer. It makes for a much tastier sauce. He also uses a seasoning mix of salt, and black pepper, cayenne, crushed red pepper, thyme oregano & rosemary - so much more flavorful!

Michael

Agree on all points. Will try increasing amounts for the sauce next time

Cindy Macolini

Peels should be left on for cooking and removed as you eat. Also add some fresh rosemary and thyme for a more complex flavor profile. 1 – 1 1/2 lbs. large shrimp1 stick butter, melted3 tablespoons Worcestershire1/4 teaspoon cayenne1/2 teaspoon coarse salt1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper2 teaspoons fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary1 tablespoon olive oil

CLH

this is close to Pasqual's Manale (pronounced in typical NOLA fashion, Pasqual Manale's) because you have the right ingredients, but 1 tsp garlic for 1.5 to 2 pounds of shrimp? Mark, you need to take a trip to New Orleans, boy you're not even close!! 1tsp garlic Per Person! And it's a big NO on soy sauce! Who thought that would be an apropos substitute? And you left out that little shot of Anita Amber beer (or wine). And Shrimp: Peel ON, Heads ON. Part of the joy is peeling the shrimp.

Em’s Instructions

Forgot the lemon. Didn’t matter. It was delicious. Feel like juice of a whole lemon would have been too much. Mom suggested putting wedges on the side and people can add however much they want. Added a little extra garlic and a teaspoon of Heinz Chile sauce.

Sharon S

Easy, simple and delicious!!! A keeper...

David

Whenever I have made this before, the sauce always turned out loose and didn't really stick to the shrimp. This last time I made it though, I added a slurry to get it to thicken it up. I mixed equal parts white wine shrimp stock (I simmered white wine in the shells for a bit) and flour, 2 and a half tablespoons of each did the trick. I would highly recommend it.

Diane

Add a glug or two of cream at the end, and this becomes a whole lot like Emeril’s New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp, with maybe a tenth of the time and effort. It is fantastic. Really good on mashed potatoes …

Allison Sturgill

I'm sorry, but this was a terrible miss for me. I can't promise I did nothing wrong but I don't know what it would have been. This was really flavorless to our household.

Tami

Though I don’t disagree about keeping the shells on and making some additions if thats what you feel like doing, we made this exactly as directed. The flavors and sauce texture were perfect the whole family devoured it. Love Mark Bittman for his ability to create delightful dishes with almost laughably simple ingredients.

Joan M

Best shrimp dish I have ever eaten. I peeled the shrimp because I was the one who had to peel them before or after. Clean hands make wine drinking more pleasurable!

Karen

I used local NC shrimp that I had steamed in Old Bay. Made some rice and the sauce and warmed the shrimp in it. This is a keeper!

Lana P

Made this exactly as written and was amazed that so little effort could result in such a delectable dish. I used Worcestershire, frozen "ez-peel" shrimp and did remove the shells, but don't peel them if you prefer and it will be even faster to prepare. It took just 10 minutes to get this on the table from the time I took the shrimp out of the freezer (shrimp were quickly defrosted in a bowl of cold tap water, rinsed, peeled and dried off). Try this, you'll like it.

kathycookstoo

This recipe is surprisingly good, especially for the amount of effort required. We served it over rice, and both of us went back for more rice when the shrimp was all gone!

Dan

Delicious. Upon first taste I decided to reseason with salt, pepper, a little more Worcestershire and another shot of hot sauce. If it tastes bland, add seasoning. A recipe like this need not be followed to the letter. If this doesn’t taste good it’s not the fault of the recipe.

annelises

I rarely leave negative reviews but this recipe did nothing for me. I found the sauce was bland and runny, even after the addition of a little cornstarch and actual barbeque sauce. Its only saving grace was that it served as a blank enough slate to make a decent shrimp fried rice the next day.

Nick

A great way to serve this is coring out the middle of a baguette and stuffing the shrimp in. You can use smaller shrimp also. Makes a great sandwich.

Patricia W

I added hot sauce. It was delicious!!

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New Orleans BBQ Shrimp Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you eat New Orleans barbecue shrimp? ›

Don't break out your grill for this dish. Here in New Orleans, barbecued shrimp means sautéed shrimp in Worcestershire-spiked butter sauce. We serve these shrimp with heads and tails on, so you need to dig in to enjoy. I highly recommend a bib.

Why is New Orleans BBQ shrimp called BBQ? ›

The “barbecue” in barbecue shrimp refers not to the process of barbecuing shrimp on a grill, but rather the sauce in which the shrimp are prepared that results in a smokey red, or “barbecued,” color!

Should you peel shrimp before grilling? ›

Shrimp can be grilled with or without their shells. I like to peel the shrimp prior to grilling. Remove all of the shell except for the part that is around the tail of the shrimp. Removing the shell will allow the marinade to penetrate the meat and give the shrimp more taste.

What goes well with barbecue shrimp? ›

For a big party I like to choose a salad, a vegetable like corn on the cob, buns or bread, a starch (potatoes, rice, etc) and perhaps one more recipe to cook on the BBQ. Skewers or more BBQ seafood always pairs well. Choose a few recipes that can be prepared ahead like cornbread and potato or pasta salad.

What do you serve with New Orleans BBQ shrimp? ›

What do you serve with New Orleans BBQ Shrimp? While a loaf of crusty bread and a pint of cold beer are hard to beat, BBQ Shrimp would also be delicious served over creamy grits or with a side of white rice and a simple salad.

What kind of shrimp are in New Orleans? ›

LOUISIANA SHRIMP INDUSTRY

Shrimp, namely white, brown, and seabob, have been harvested commercially in Louisiana since the 1800s and continue to be the foundation as the second largest commercial fishery in the state.

What restaurant invented BBQ shrimp in New Orleans? ›

Pascal's Manale invented barbecue shrimp in 1953 and today it's one of the most copied New Orleans dishes in the world. It has nothing to do with barbecue. There's no grill, no coals, no skewers.

What do Southerners call a BBQ? ›

Down South, a “cookout” means grilling food outside.

What state is the king of BBQ? ›

Texas has been named the best state for barbecue, as part of a new report on the country's best barbecue scenes.

Is it better to barbecue shrimp with shell on or off? ›

If you want juicy, flavorful shrimp, you've got to grill them with the shells on. They add so much more flavor to the shrimps, and they protect the delicate skin from the brutal fire.

How to know when shrimp is done? ›

The best way to tell when shrimp are cooked through is to look for visual cues: “Watch for the shrimp to curl and turn opaque,” says Kendra. Undercooked shrimp will be gray and translucent, with uncurled tails. Perfectly cooked shrimp will be opaque with a color ranging from pink or orange, depending on variety.

How long should you grill shrimp? ›

Grill the shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until they're slightly pink with opaque flesh.

Can you put frozen shrimp on BBQ? ›

Yes and no. You can grill shrimp from frozen, but you probably shouldn't. "It makes the outside tough and cooks unevenly, tending to leave the inside raw," Price says. "It's best if the shrimp is thawed, peeled, deveined, marinated, then grilled."

What size shrimp is best for BBQ? ›

Use Large shrimp for Grilling

For grilling, try to never use anything smaller than 15-20 size shrimp (meaning there are between 15 and 20 shrimp per pound). The larger mass and size will act as a bit of a buffer against overcooking, giving you time to get those tasty grill lines on the outside. Also, use peeled shrimp.

Do you eat the whole popcorn shrimp? ›

Fry the whole thing

Deep-frying shrimp with heads still on amps up their savory richness and creates a wonderful textural contrast between the crisp shells and the oozing tomalley-like contents of the heads. The crispy and crunchy exterior gives way to the rich, juicy innards, creating an enticing bite.

Do you eat the shell of grilled shrimp? ›

You could even argue that they aren't even food. But I am here to assure you that under certain circ*mstances, they are shockingly delicious, with a treasure trove of flavor and texture that naked unshelled shrimp can't even match. And if you're tossing them away, you're missing out.

How do you eat shrimp co*cktail at a fancy restaurant? ›

Here's the etiquette: Use Your Fingers or Fork: You have the choice to either use your fingers or a fork to pick up the shrimp. Both are acceptable, so go with what you're comfortable with. No Double-Dipping: Once you've dipped your shrimp into the co*cktail sauce, resist the urge to double-dip.

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