Description
This New Orleans BBQ Shrimp recipe captures the bold flavors of Cajun and Creole cuisine, featuring succulent shrimp cooked in a flavorful butter-based sauce infused with beer, garlic, herbs, and spices. Served with crusty French bread, it’s perfect for a quick yet flavorful meal or appetizer that highlights the vibrant tastes of Louisiana.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Marinade and Sauce Base
- 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1/3 cup Amber beer (recommended: Abita)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon Cajun or Creole seasoning
- 1 teaspoon coarsely cracked black pepper
- Several dashes hot sauce (to taste)
Shrimp
- 2 lbs large shrimp (16-20 count or bigger), peeled or unpeeled
Additional ingredients
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced into rounds plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice (more to taste)
- 14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- Salt, to taste
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced (dark and light green parts)
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
For serving
- Crusty French bread
Instructions
- Prepare the cooking base: Add Worcestershire sauce, beer, garlic, bay leaf, rosemary, Cajun seasoning, black pepper, and hot sauce to a large sauté pan with a lid. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Add the shrimp and lemon: Once boiling, add the shrimp and lemon wheels to the pan. Toss to coat the shrimp evenly in the sauce, then cover the pan with a lid and cook for about 3-5 minutes, or until the shrimp are just cooked through.
- Finish the sauce: Remove the lid, stir in the lemon juice, then turn off the heat. Add the cubed cold butter gradually, stirring continuously until the butter melts completely and the sauce emulsifies into a rich, glossy coating. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and additional lemon juice if desired.
- Serve: Transfer the shrimp and sauce to a serving dish. Garnish with sliced scallions and chopped parsley. Serve immediately with plenty of crusty French bread for sopping up the flavorful sauce.
Notes
- If avoiding alcohol, replace the beer with shrimp, chicken, or vegetable stock, or plain water.
- Use a Cajun or Creole seasoning that is lower in salt to prevent an overly salty sauce.
- Traditional unpeeled head-on shrimp provide the best flavor, but peeled shrimp work well if you prefer. For best results, use wild-caught American Gulf shrimp.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/5 of total dish (about 1 cup shrimp and sauce)
- Calories: 443 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 1272 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 313 mg
