This is definitely not your average barbecue shrimp dish. Not only are these jumbo shrimp served with the heads on (don't worry, you don't eat them) and swimming in a bowl of spicy melted butter, but they've never even been near the grate of a grill. They do things a little different in Louisiana. I say, bring it on and pass the bread!
The barbecue in the title refers to the spicy butter sauce the shrimp are served in...at least that's my theory. Emeril's classic recipe has you reduce this sauce down to something close to a barbecue sauce consistency, but most recipes simply mix seasonings into a bowl of melted butter. Those seasonings typically include lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, and the always-classic Old Bay Seasoning.
The shrimp themselves get broiled, baked, or quickly sautéed, whichever method seems quickest and handiest at the time. They're served in a bowl with the hot butter broth poured over top and a good hunk of crusty bread for sopping up the remains.
Eating a bowl of barbecued shrimp is a messy affair, as you can imagine. It's impossible to pinch off those shrimp heads and slurp up the sauce without butter dribbling down your chin. Or your hands. Or your neighbor's hands. You just have to go with it, get messy, and worry about the clean-up later.
Take a look at these recipes for making Louisiana Barbecue Shrimp at home:
• New Orleans BBQ Shrimp from Emeril Lagasse and The Food Network
• Barbecue Shrimp from Homesick Texan
• Pascal's Manale BBQ Shrimp from Cajun Foodie
Have you ever had BBQ shrimp like this?
Related: Shrimp Boil: The Ultimate Bouquet Garni
(Information for this post was gathered during a press trip to New Orleans sponsored by the Louisiana Seafood Board. All views and opinions expressed in this post are the personal views of the author.)
(Image: Flickr member aimeeorleans licensed under Creative Commons)
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But those are crawfish aren't they? If so, I know that you do (or can) suck the heads.
This is my #1 all-time favorite meal. Such an indulgence, but we make it on my birthday every year using the pascal's manale recipe. We wrap the table in newspaper, put out a bunch of paper towels and lots (and lots) of good, fresh French bread to dip in the butter. Oh, I love it.
Old Bay??? Ew, no way! Never in my life seen someone in Louisiana cook with Old Bay. Anything by Paul Prudhomme or especially Tony Cachere's but not Old Bay.
Love BBQ shrimp but it's a maybe once a year thing- SO bad for you. It's just stick of butter you sop up in bread. Taste's amazing though. And like was mentioned and the provided recipe, anything with the name Pascale Manale's on it will come out good- that restaurant claims to have invented the dish.
Those are shrimp, not crawfish, and you forgot to mention the beer in the recipe. You have to add about 1/2 a beer to the liquid when you make BBQ shrimps. The other 1/2 goes to the cook of course.
@Lipstick6 - Yup, those are shrimp with their heads and shells still on! We don't often see them like that, huh?!
Deanie's Seafood in New Orleans!
Our closest grocery gets heads on NC shrimp and the price is lower, for the extra work and excess waste, (?) but the superior flavor has made me not like any other kind.
Ohh BBQ Shrimp! I love it so much! When I lived in Atlanta, would try to get to Joey D's as much as possible to eat the messiest, most delicious item on the menu! Love this stuff! So glad to have a recipe!
Huh interesting. They look yum. Thanks for the clarification. :)
So good, so easy, so bad for you. Who cares I love em!
Here are three recipes from an amazing blog called The Gumbo Pages.
http://www.gumbopages.com/food/seafood/bbq-shrimp.html
I had BBQ shrimp when we went to New Orleans last October, and it is seriously one of the most delicious things I've ever had.
This inspired me to make the Pascal's version over the weekend, and it was DELICIOUS.
Next time I'm going to double the sauce, though! That was the best part.
You're absolutely right, Old Bay is for northerners. It makes food taste bland, and that's not an insult, some people like a bland taste. But it's Paul Prudhomme or Cachere's all the way. Anytime a recipe recommends Old Bay, be wary. Happy Cooking!!!