Fried shrimp will forever and always remind me of home back in Corpus. I can remember going to this great place by the water growing up, called Snoopy’s. It was this open air beat-up seafood restaurant that had been there for as long as I can remember. The same man worked the counter each time we were there and knew my dad on a first name basis. It was also a cash only place. So we would go in and pull out money from their ATM. Very old school but that’s just how it was. It was one of those staple restaurants in my town that everyone went to and everyone loved. I’m sure if I have some Corpus readers on here, you know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s a very nostalgic place for me. I ordered the fried shrimp plate every single time…for years and years. I still order it to this day if I stop by when I’m in town. It’s super crispy delicious fried shrimp they butterflied and then deep fried to perfection. Ugh it’s so good my mouth is watering just thinking about it! The shrimp in corpus was much crispier than the shrimp I’ve ordered in the south. I guess it’s a regional thing? I’m not sure but I loved it then and still love it now!
I can remember my dad frying shrimp at home for us fairly often through the years. We even cooked it for Christmas Eve sometimes. Totally not traditional lol but we loved it! So fried shrimp has a special place in my heart.. so I decided I needed to share this with all of you…because who doesn’t like fried shrimp, right?
When it comes to deep frying at home, there’s nothing to be scared of. I have a few tips that will help you out.
- Keep an eye on the oil temperature and adjust the heat when necessary. The shrimp will burn easily if the oil becomes too hot. Always, always, always use a thermometer to gage the temperature. It should be at a steady 350 degrees F.
- Don’t fill your pot too full with oil. If it’s too full, the oil will splash out and create a fire. Trust me, less is more.
- Do all your prep work before hand. Batter your shrimp and lay them flat on a baking sheet so that they are ready to go when the oil is hot.
- Have all your kitchen tools on hand that you’ll need. A large slotted spoon for removing the shrimp from the oil, paper towel lined plates for when the shrimp is done, and salt to season the shrimp as soon as they are out of the oil. If you have everything organized and in place, frying will be much much easier.
- Use a Dutch oven or cast iron pot of choice. Something large enough to accommodate the shrimp in batches. Using a heavy pot while frying is much easier and safer in my opinion. Plus, cast iron holds temperature really well. I use my 5 qt Le cruset Dutch oven and I love it.
Serve with:
OVEN BAKED PARMESAN HERB FRIES WITH TRUFFLE AIOLI
CRISPY FRIED ONION RINGS + LEMON GARLIC AIOLI
PRODUCTS I LOVE:
CRISPY FRIED SHRIMP
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Serves: 8
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 lbs jumbo shrimp, peeled & deveined
- 1.5 cups all purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 8 oz. panko bread crumbs
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp old bay seasoning
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- Canola oil for frying
- Table salt for seasoning
DIRECTIONS:
- Pour canola oil into a large Dutch oven pot. Enough oil to fill the pot about half way (3-4 inches deep). Use a thermometer and heat the oil up to 350 degrees F. Adjust temperature if it strays higher or lower.
- Place flour in a large bowl
- Place eggs in a second large bowl. Whisk.
- Place panko, salt, old bay and cayenne in a third large bowl. Mix.
- Take a shrimp and dip into flour, egg, then panko mixture. Repeat till all the shrimp are breaded.
- Fry the shrimp in small batches when the oil reaches desired temperature. Making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry for about 2 minutes or until shrimp is golden brown and crispy.
- Drain shrimp on paper towels and immediately sprinkle with salt. (This is important so that the salt will stick to the oil still on the shrimp. If done later, the salt won’t stick). Repeat till all the shrimp are fried and seasoned.
- Enjoy hot or store in the oven on the lowest temperature (175 degrees F) for up to 20 minutes.
- Serve with cocktail sauce, tarter sauce and lemon wedges.