New Orleans BBQ Shrimp really isn’t much of a traditional BBQ. It isn’t even cooked on a grill or over coals. This thin, buttery, savory sauce, served with piles of French bread, is something I always look forward to when I travel to NOLA, and for the longest time, it was something I could only get when in the city. I finally decided to try making the dish at home; it quickly turned into a much bigger project than expected, becoming an obsession to get it right.
When trying to come up with a recipe for something unique that I’ve only ever had in restaurants, I will simply google it, find a few recipes that sound good, make up a hybrid, and then try and tweak it until I’m happy with the result. It usually takes two or three tries to get it exactly where I want it, but I’m usually able to get very close on the first try.
My attempts to make New Orleans BBQ Shrimp were not as successful. None of the recipes I found online created the same or even similar flavor profiles as what I’d had in New Orleans restaurants. Some recipes called for chili sauce measured in CUPS rather than tablespoons for a dish that wasn’t supposed to be spicy. Others left out the critical Worcestershire sauce. It took probably 6 or 7 tries and a complete re-work of the preparation instructions to get it to work properly and taste like my favorite regional classic. Even then, I wound up doing another re-work during the COVID-19 pandemic after I took an online class from the New Orleans School of Cooking. Their recipe worked a lot better than mine but didn’t quite have the flavor I wanted. The final version of this recipe is their technique with my favors.
Traditionally, New Orleans BBQ Shrimp is cooked and served with the shells and tails still on the shrimp. This seems super counterintuitive to me because the dish is served hot, which results in burned fingertips while trying to peel shrimp that just came off the stove. I think the shells could be removed beforehand, or you could simply purchase shrimp that are already shelled. There is some flavor that comes from the shells, but realistically, most of your flavor comes from the Worcestershire sauce and butter. My recipe leaves the heads on, but in reality, I rarely buy head-on shrimp. It works just fine and tastes just as good with fully cleaned shrimp.
The crusty bread is a super important part of this dish if you don’t have the grits! Traditionally, it’s served with crusty bread to soak up all the sauce, and it’s absolutely amazing. I have found, however, that the grits are also a great option for sauce soaking. I make them with 1/2 milk, 1/2 water, and some cream cheese to make them extra smooth and creamy.
Ingredients
- 8 Large shrimp, head-on, peeled and deveined
- 4 TBSP Butter
- Garlic
- ¼ cup onion
- ¼ cup celery
- 2 springs rosemary
- 2 -3 TBSP Joe’s Stuff (Creole seasoning)
- ¼ cup warm beer
- ½ cup stock
- 3 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 Stick Butter, cut into pieces
Instructions
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onion, celery, rosemary, and Joe’s Stuff. Saute until garlic is browned.
- Deglaze the pan with beer and simmer until the liquid reduces.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Add stock and Worcestershire, and season to taste. Bring the pan to a simmer and remove rosemary stems. Simmer for 5 – 7 minutes to reduce the liquid a bit.
- Add the shrimp to the pan in a single layer. Cook until they start to turn pink around the edges. Flip the shrimp and allow to cook for another minute. Remove the shrimp and lay over a bowl of grits.
- Allow the liquid to reduce until thick and coats the back of a spoon. Add the remaining butter pieces and shake the pan to incorporate. Once the butter melts, pour over shrimp and grits.
Serves 2.