BBQ shrimp

[Jason Perlow]

This was the one dish in Louisiana I could not get enough of. I had em at Pascal's Manale, Mr. B's and Uglesich's. And Deanies. My favorite of all was Mr. B's. with Pascal's in a close second.

What is the proper technique for preparing this dish? Is there black magic involved? Lots of butter and lots of pepper, right?

[Lucille]

mmmmmmmm

Black majic? hmmm can I guess? Ya gotta have the heads on and it's baked not BBQ.

[Dave the Cook]

To me, the coolest thing about this style of BBQ shrimp is that most versions never come near a barbecue.

I'm not sure about the ones you tried, Jason, but Prudhomme and Lagasse rely heavily on Worcestershire sauce. In the case of the latter, a cup of it is reduced by 75% with shrimp stock and lots of lemon. (This was the basis for the gastrique we used to finish off VD Stew at Varmint's Pig Pickin'.)

The best version I ever had was at the late, much-lamented Chez Helene. What a place.

[Lucille]

Jason, I love Deanie's, did you try their fried artickoke hearts? Yum!

Oh for a seafood platter....

[Mayhaw Man]

The best version I ever had was at the late, much-lamented Chez Helene. What a place.

Yes, I miss the Old Chez as well. But, happily, Austin Leslie (The God of all Things Deep and Pan Fried) is working in the kitchen at Jacques Imo's and while it is not the same, the love is still there.

[FistFullaRoux]

My recipe is pretty simple, and works well... I have used bottled versions of both the sauce and dressing. Works fine.

Shrimp, peeled and deveined - at least medium size. The jumbos work,but can be tough

Your favorite KC style tomato based BBQ sauce (Not so good with mustard or vinegar)

Your favorite Italian style vinagrette (the reason for no vinegar in the above step)

soaked wooden skewers

Marinate the shrimp in a 50/50 mix of BBQ sauce and Italian dressing for 20-30 minutes.

Soak the skewers (if they are wooden)

using two skewers per kabob (so they can be easily turned), stack up the shrimp.

Hot grill, 3 minutes per side, tops.

Baste with more of the fresh (not re-used marinade) sauce mixture when you flip them

When they are pink, they are done.

These taste really good on the beach. Gulf Shores, AL + 10 friends + 1 condo + BBQ shrimp + entirely too much liquid refreshment = Fun.

[Lucille]

Mayhaw, is Coffee's still in Madisonville?

(Please say yes)

[Mayhaw Man]

Mayhaw, is Coffee's still in Madisonville?

(Please say yes)

Yes, of course.

Mr Coffee is still running it (although he no longer delivers Community as his day job ).

[Lucille]

Oh goody! I have to get that way to find out just exactly where my dad moved to.

I want some big #1 crabs.

[Lucille]

Neaux, neaux, neaux.....

It's 2 houses + Dune Allen + 1 week + SEAFOOD, sun, sand, surf =Lots of Beer!

and I'll raise ya a really big tarp that says, "Grant Street".

[APPS411]

As you I found Mr. B's to be the best tasting. You can easily find the recipe online w/ a google search. Contains mostly butter and Worcestershire, pepper, garlic and lemon. I've made it a bunch of times for friends and it always comes out great. To cut down on the 6T of butter per serving (Yikes! heart attack), I instead use only 2T of butter and a nice buttery belgian beer like chimay (I'm thinking even a creamy guiness would work.

Most importantly is having the right bread. Best I've found in a pinch is actually Pepperidge Farms Twin French. Toss in a hot for a min or two to give a crunchy flaky crust and start sopping up that sauce. Shrimp are the compliment to the sauce and bread in my mind.

Enjoy,

and make sure to use BIG head on unpeeled fresh shrimp.

[Java-Joe]

Jason, I'm going to ask for the recipe over on the message board on NewOrleans.com. It's a local food/dining messageboard. Extremely active. It's headed up by Tom Fitzmorris. If you don't know who he is, he's the local restaurant critic, etc... He's got a daily talk show on the radio.

Surely he, or someone will have the recipe for me. I know that there is no bbq sauce in it. The story of how it got its name is interesting, but too long to get into.

Be back here when I get an answer for ya.

Joe

[Suzanne F]

Jason, you got something against Mosca? I'll admit I've never been there, but I've been making their "barbecued shrimp" for almost 30 years now, thanks to Mimi Sheraton in the NY Times Magazine in July, 1976.

Basically, you marinate shell-on shrimp in lots of olive oil with garlic, bay leaves, rosemary, and dried oregano for a couple of hours, then put the whole thing in a pan with some salt and pepper (I use a LOT of pepper) and poach very slowly for about 20 minutes. Add some white wine, simmer 5 to 10 minutes, then dive in. Serve with lots of good bread, or over linguine or spaghetti. The shells soften up enough to chomp easily.

If the gods of copyright will allow me, I will post the actual recipe in eGRA. May I? 'Cause this stuff is GREAT.

[Jason Perlow]

I had the ones at Mosca's and enjoyed them. They don't call them BBQ shrimp though -- and yes, they make them significantly different from the other restaurants. Its a drier dish, and as you say, they are not sopping in the buttery, peppery sauce that is characteristic of the traditional way.

Mosca's Thread (With Pictures)

They call them "Italian Shrimp". Now, they do look like they are cooked in olive oil, not butter, as far as I remember.

The Italian Shrimp I could have eaten several plates of. This is basically an italian-seasoned take on Louisiana BBQ Shrimp like they serve at Pascal's Manale except that they are not swimming in butter -- the emphasis is on the herb seasoning and I think these are broiled a bit more and don't even require peeling -- the shell gets really crisped up and you can essentially eat these whole, they don't have the heads on.

[Mayhaw Man]

These two photos are of BBQ shrimp before and after. The only ingrediants are shrimp, butter, olive oil, coarse chopped garlic, lemon juice, black pepper, salt (just a little bit), and worcestershire. This is the way I learned how to do it and they are pretty close to Manale's (close enough anyway, they are damn good and there are never any left).

Before.

About ten minutes later.

It is all a matter of adjustment. Make a few batches and see what you like. I will post my recipe in recipe gullet (there can be no copyright violation here-everybody and their mother makes this stuff-it would be like copyrighting a cup of coffee-which of course is ossible, but would be difficult to prove uniqueness)

[davebr]

Im making that tomorrow with my baby pig!

[Java-Joe]

A nice member of the board, referred me to a link on that site with all kinds of N'Awlins recipes. He's the one.

Barbecue Shrimp

From the Files of Tom Fitzmorris

Barbecued shrimp are misnamed, but they're still one of the most exciting--and messiest--dishes in the local cuisine. The dish is simple: huge whole shrimp in a tremendous amount of butter and black pepper. The original recipe (it's Manale's secret, but I suspect I've guessed it) involves a pot of melted but not especially hot margarine with a ton of black pepper and a little garlic. The shrimp are dunked in it and sit there until cooked. After many shrimp are cooked this way, the sauce becomes wonderfully flavored with shrimp, and is topped off with fresh margarine but otherwise maintained. That's obviously impossible at home, but this technique works. The essential ingredient is heads-on shrimp.

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 bay leaves

3 lbs. fresh Gulf shrimp with heads on, 20-25 count to the pound

1 Tbs. lemon juice

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 sticks salted butter

1 stick margarine

2 tsp. paprika

1 newly-purchased 4-oz. can black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

1. Rinse the shrimp and shake the excess water from them. Make one layer, overlapping, in a glass or metal baking dish. Sprinkle the garlic over all. Break the bay leaf in half and place it among the shrimp. Add the lemon juice amd Worcestershire.

2. Cut the butter and margarine into pats and distribute them atop the shrimp. Sprinkle on the paprika. Then shake enough black pepper over the shrimp to cover them completely. Don't miss any spots! Err on the side of too much pepper. (And you don't have to use the whole can, either.)

3. Bake the shrimp in a preheated 375-degree oven for fifteen minutes. Open the oven and, with a spoon, redistribute the shrimp and check them for doneness. When the meat pulls away from the shells, they're ready. But they will probably need five to 15 minutes more baking. This depends on the size and quality of the shrimp. To be avoided: soft, wrinkled shells.

4. Serve the shrimp in soup plates with lots of the sauce and toasted French bread. Also plenty of napkins and perhaps bibs.

Serves four to six.

Edited April 14, 2004 by Java-Joe (log)

[thursdaynext]

Although this is a dish I've long associated with N.O., the first time I tasted "BBQ" shrimp was years ago at Gershwin's in Dallas. A quick check of their website & I note at this late date that it's no longer on the menu. At home I always use the recipe from Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen. His is one of the versions I've seen that includes beer.

Edited April 14, 2004 by thursdaynext (log)

[Dave the Cook]

I had the Barbequed Shrimp at Mr. B's the other day. As Jason reported, they are amazing. I asked about a recipe, and was directed to their website. Low and behold:

Mr. B's New Orleans Barbequed Shrimp

I haven't made it, but this recipe looks right, not just on the ingredients, but on the shaking technique for incorporating the last-minute butter (which, as far as I know, was introduced to restaurant cookery by Prudhomme -- no, it's not the same as most butter sauces). The way the sauce separates over the course of the meal is a dead giveaway to anyone who's employed this method. I'll get my hands on some head-on shrimp this weekend and report back.

[Dave the Cook]

I'll get my hands on some head-on shrimp this weekend and report back.

I made this tonight; a great success, and a very close approximation of Mr. B's, even with my home-kitchen changes.

Modified recipe in RecipeGullet.

[MindyMoo]

We actually made BBQ shrimp Sunday at a friend's house, and if there is one cardinal rule to this dish, is that BBQ sauce shouldn't go anywhere near it. We add butter, italian dressing, Worcestershire sauce, beer, maybe a bay leaf, salt and pepper and a bit of liquid crab boil, then broil in the oven. Serve with warm, crusty French bread.

[UptownKevin]

Mindy, What a coincidence! I made some BBQ this weekend too. I saw this post last week but finally had the time to register for the site. Below is my complete recipe, should be on the website by this afternoon.

Uptown Kevin's Culinary Adventures

New Orleans BBQ Shrimp

BBQ Shrimp is a classic New Orleans staple. Quite a misnomer, as anyone who puts BBQ sauce on or near this dish should be sent packing. This is super easy to prepare, and my version REQUIRES Abita Amber beer, one of the best I have found for cooking.

Ingredients

Software

1 lb. Shrimp (heads still on)

2 Sticks Butter

½ Large White Onion

4 Cloves Garlic (Peeled and Smashed)

Olive Oil

Worcestershire Sauce

1 Bottle Abita Amber Beer (Do Not Substitute)

Juice of one lemon

Garlic powder

Coarse Kosher Salt

Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Cayenne Pepper

CajunLand Crab/Shrimp Boil (Powdered)

Hardware

2 Quart Saucepan

Large Pyrex baking dish

Prep (5 minutes)

Dice Onion

Smash Garlic

Clean shrimp and lay them in one layer the baking dish, sprinkle with kosher salt

Cook (15 minutes)

1. In the saucepan, sauté onion until translucent, then add garlic (yes, in chunks), then the two sticks of butter.

2. When butter has liquefied, add each seasoning while stirring – garlic powder, salt, pepper, cayenne, crab boil and Worcestershire sauce.

3. Add the olive oil, stir, and then add about half of a bottle of beer (6-8 oz.).

4. Keep stirring; drink the rest of the beer.

5. When the foam from the beer subsides, pour the sauce over the shrimp in the baking dish.

6. Place under the broiler for about 10 minutes, stir, then another 5 minutes, or until shrimp are pink and cooked.

7. Remove from broiler and let rest for at least ten minutes.

8. Serve in a bowl with lots of sauce and pieces of po-boy bread for dipping.

[Dave the Cook]

Welcome, Kevin!

Nice recipe. Your and Mindy's warning about BBQ sauce are well taken. I also think it bears repeating that very few recipes call for the use of a grill.

Nice touch with the beer. Assuming you're not deliberately kissing up to the Louisiana Forum Host, I think you'll find that praising Abita will take you far in these parts (even if you don't like okra).

[Mayhaw Man]

Wecome Kevin and thanks for the recipe. Interesting website you have. Thanks for the link to the Louisiana Forum, it is greatly appreciated.

I too am a former resident of Uptown, former bartender in Uptown, (but I was not a banker, although I had a bank account-so that's close ), and I like to eat-so we have a lot in common. We always need some local voices to answer questions for all of the pilgrims headed for Mecca and I look forward to hearing from you.

Brooks

[FistFullaRoux]

Well, I do use BBQ sauce on mine, although it is my version, not the traditional baked thing. But in my recipe the BBQ sauce is cut by a vinagrette, making the twang of the vinegar and olive oil the center of attention. The ketchup based sauce adds a little sweetness, some spice, and a bit of smokiness. Also note that the recipe I put in above is actual BBQ'ed shrimp, though this could work well in the oven.

Also note that my recipe does not need 8 lbs of butter to make it taste good.

What these other places are doing is closer to shrimp scampi.