New Orleans BBQ Shrimp

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •12-inch cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed sauté pan
• •Large mixing bowl
• •Warm serving bowl or individual gratin dishes

Instructions

1. 1

   Season the shrimp

   Toss the shrimp with Cajun seasoning, one teaspoon of black pepper, and the cayenne in a large bowl. Use your hands to work the spices into every crevice, getting under the shells where you can. Let them sit at room temperature while you prep everything else, about ten minutes. This is your first layer of flavor, and it matters.

   Head-on shrimp make a richer sauce. The orange fat in the heads melts into the butter and adds sweetness you can't get any other way. Ask your fishmonger.
2. 2

   Sear the shrimp

   Heat a large cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over high heat until it's properly hot, about two minutes. Add two tablespoons of butter and let it foam and just begin to brown. Add half the shrimp in a single layer. Let them sear undisturbed for one minute until the shells turn pink and slightly charred on the bottom. Flip and cook thirty seconds more. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining butter and shrimp.

   Don't crowd the pan. Crowded shrimp steam instead of sear, and you want that caramelization on the shells. Work in batches.
3. 3

   Build the sauce base

   Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic to the pan and stir for thirty seconds until fragrant. Don't let it brown. Pour in the Worcestershire sauce (it will sizzle and steam, that's good) and scrape up any fond stuck to the pan. This is flavor you paid for with that beautiful sear. Add the wine or beer, lemon juice, rosemary sprigs, remaining two teaspoons of black pepper, and salt. Let it bubble for two minutes until slightly reduced.

4. 4

   Finish with butter

   Remove the pan from heat entirely. This is critical. Add the cold butter pieces one or two at a time, swirling the pan constantly. The butter should melt into the sauce and emulsify, creating a glossy, creamy consistency. If you add butter to a hot pan, it will break and turn greasy. Cold butter, off heat, swirling constantly. That's how you get restaurant shine.

   At Lagniappe, we call this mounting the sauce. The cold butter creates an emulsion that coats the shrimp like velvet. Rush it and you'll have a greasy puddle instead of a silky sauce.
5. 5

   Return shrimp and serve

   Return the seared shrimp and any accumulated juices to the pan. Toss gently to coat every shrimp in that gorgeous sauce. The residual heat will warm everything through without overcooking. Taste the sauce and adjust salt and pepper. Remove rosemary sprigs. Transfer to a warm serving bowl, pour every drop of sauce over the top, and scatter with fresh parsley. Serve immediately with plenty of warm crusty bread.

Chef Tips

• •The bread is not optional. Crusty French bread, warmed in the oven, is how you experience every last bit of that sauce. At Lagniappe, we go through more bread on BBQ shrimp night than any other.
• •Gulf shrimp are worth seeking out. Imported shrimp are often treated with chemicals that affect texture and flavor. Look for wild-caught American shrimp at a good fishmonger.
• •If you can't find head-on shrimp, shell-on is fine. You'll lose a little richness but the dish still sings. What you can't do is use peeled shrimp. The shells protect the meat and add body to the sauce.
• •The black pepper quantity looks aggressive, and it is. This dish should have real pepper presence that builds as you eat. Trust me on this one.
• •A crisp white wine or cold beer cuts through the richness beautifully. Pour the same wine you used in the sauce.

Advance Preparation

• •Season the shrimp up to four hours ahead and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature for fifteen minutes before cooking.
• •This dish does not hold or reheat well. The sauce can break and the shrimp will overcook. Make it, serve it, eat it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 220g)