Secret Big Easy Barbecue Shrimp Recipe Revealed
Barbecue Shrimp has nothing to do with a barbecue pit or grill: there are no flames or skewers, and there is no traditional barbecue sauce. Barbecue Shrimp was devised in a famous New Orleans restaurant (Pasquals Manales restaurant to be exact), and has been copied umpteen times. I first encountered Barbecue Shrimp sitting in a sidewalk cafe near Cafe DuMonde one evening sometime in the early 80s when celebrity chef Paul Prudhomme and his K-Pauls Louisiana Kitchen were the hottest thing on the culinary scene. K-Pauls had a huge line (my husband was hungrier than me, so waiting was out of the question). So we found this little open air dining spot on Decatur Street in the French Market and sat down. I saw Barbecue Shrimp on the menu and asked the waiter if I could have it a la carte instead of the full meal. No problem. What transpired then was nothing short of magical. A few minutes later he brought a confusing bowl of huge shell-on gulf shrimp tightly curled and bathing in a buttery broth about an inch-deep. Not the barbecue shrimp I expected! Surrounding the bowl was superb French breadcrusty, light, and flavorful. Having never seen such a dish, I asked the waiter how to eat it. He graciously demonstrated the shelling process and suggested I dip the bread into the sauce. Divine. Probably one of the most memorable dining experiences Ive ever had (except for the all-you-can-eat mussels adventure in Quebec City, Canada, but thats another story).
Barbecue Shrimp has nothing to do with a barbecue pit or grill: there are no flames or skewers, and there is no traditional barbecue sauce. Barbecue Shrimp was devised in a famous New Orleans restaurant (Pasquals Manales restaurant to be exact), and has been copied umpteen times. I first encountered Barbecue Shrimp sitting in a sidewalk cafe near Cafe DuMonde one evening sometime in the early 80s when celebrity chef Paul Prudhomme and his K-Pauls Louisiana Kitchen were the hottest thing on the culinary scene. K-Pauls had a huge line (my husband was hungrier than me, so waiting was out of the question). So we found this little open air dining spot on Decatur Street in the French Market and sat down. I saw Barbecue Shrimp on the menu and asked the waiter if I could have it a la carte instead of the full meal. No problem. What transpired then was nothing short of magical. A few minutes later he brought a confusing bowl of huge shell-on gulf shrimp tightly curled and bathing in a buttery broth about an inch-deep. Not the barbecue shrimp I expected! Surrounding the bowl was superb French breadcrusty, light, and flavorful. Having never seen such a dish, I asked the waiter how to eat it. He graciously demonstrated the shelling process and suggested I dip the bread into the sauce. Divine. Probably one of the most memorable dining experiences Ive ever had (except for the all-you-can-eat mussels adventure in Quebec City, Canada, but thats another story).
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp liquid smoke
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 lb butter
- 2 lbs gulf shrimp or u13-u15/lb size tigers
- fresh flavorings:
- 1 tsp tabasco sauce to taste
- 3 tsp garlic crushed
- 6 oz beer, white wine or stock
- 1/4 cup parsley fresh chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
- dry flavorings:
- 2 tsp cayenne or less for less burn
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
- 1 tsp ground thyme
- 1/2 tsp ground oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground basil
- 1 tsp ground rosemary
- 3 tsp onion powder
- 1-1/2 bay leaves dried, finely crushed
- Carbohydrate 8.79757859752291 g
- Cholesterol 466.6331506375 mg
- Fat 51.2161257904703 g
- Fiber 2.707788111806 g
- Protein 47.8726637974611 g
- Saturated Fat 30.1275558665771 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (343g)
- Sodium 831.283693633716 mg
- Sugar 6.08979048571691 g
- Trans Fat 4.53022766067586 g
- Calories 681 calories
Step-by-step
- Night before Serving: Rinse shrimp (you can devein if you want) and drain in colander. While shrimp drains, whirl dry flavorings in mini-chopper or blender until pulverized into fine powder. Combine all the wet and dry flavorings in a saucepan, and heat on a low burner until butter is melted. Mixture will look dark and glossy. Stir often. When butter is completely melted, set sauce aside and let cool. Meanwhile, layer shrimp in a deep bowl. Pour cooled sauce over shrimp. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook the next day. Stir occasionally.
- Day of Serving: Heat oven to 325°F. Spread marinated shrimp in shallow baking pan. Pour any remaining sauce over shrimp. Bake until shrimp turn pink, turning every 10 minutes until done (no more than 30 minutes). Serve in deep bowls with slices of crusty French baguettes to soak up sauce. Also good over hot, steamed rice. (You can also cook individual portions on stove top in black frying pan; just make sure each portion has enough sauce to dip bread.)
- This is a messy, finger-lickin’ good one-bowl dish best served for a crowd who isn’t wearing their Sunday best, or isn’t fussy about shelling their own shrimp. Cover the table with newspapers and have lots of napkins on hand. Give everyone a finger bowl with warm water and a soft towel.
- Menu/Serving suggestions: A light salad (not coleslaw), Hurricane drinks in mason jars, Apple or peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream (Or, for a real NOLA dessert, try Bananas Foster or banana pudding)
- Don’t be afraid to try my secret Big Easy Barbecue Shrimp recipe for your Mardi Gras celebration next week. And, whatever you do, be sure to put my secret Big Easy Barbecue Shrimp recipe in your family cookbook or recipe card box! You’ll be glad you did.
A deep bowl of Gulf shrimp bathing in a dark, glossy pool of melted butter, Worcestershire, and pulverized spices produces a potent, peppery aroma that fills the kitchen long before the timer goes off. Despite the name, this preparation contains no tomatoes, no smoke from a grill, and no barbecue sauce from a bottle, relying instead on a massive quantity of dairy fat to emulsify with pan juices.
- Pulverize the dry herbs and spices thoroughly in a mini-chopper so the botanical elements hydrate evenly in the butter rather than floating as bitter grit on the surface of the sauce.
- Marinate the shellfish overnight in a deep glass bowl at 38 degrees Fahrenheit to allow the cayenne, black pepper, and liquid smoke to penetrate the shells before cooking.
- Bake the mixture at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for no more than 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes to prevent the heavy dairy solids from scorching while ensuring the shrimp curl tightly and turn pink.
- Provide crusty French bread on the side specifically to absorb the rich, one-inch-deep pan drippings left at the bottom of the serving vessel.
Proper management of the baking time prevents the large shellfish from turning rubbery, while keeping the butter from separating into a greasy pool. Success depends entirely on respecting the thermal limits of dairy and shellfish simultaneously.
