Secret Big Easy Barbecue Shrimp Recipe Revealed for the First Time

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 (Pasqual Manale’s restaurant to be exact), and has been copied umpteen times. I first encountered Barbecue Shrimp sitting in a sidewalk cafe near Café DuMonde one evening sometime in the early ’80s when celebrity chef Paul Prudhomme and his K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen were the hottest thing on the culinary scene. K-Paul’s 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 à 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 bread — crusty, 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 I’ve ever had (except for the all-you-can-eat mussels adventure in Quebec City, Canada, but that’s another story).

Category: Desserts

Cuisine: not set

Ready in 45 minutes
by Bhlynne

Ingredients

2 lbs or U13-U15/lb size Tigers

1/2 lb

1 tsp to taste

1 tsp

1/2 tsp

2 tsp

3 tsp crushed

6 oz

1/4 cup fresh chopped (or 1 tsp dried)

2 tsp or less for less burn

2 tsp

1 tsp

1 tsp

1 tsp

1/2 tsp

1/2 tsp

1 tsp

1 tsp

3 tsp

1-1/2 dried, finely crushed


Directions

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.

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