If there’s one classic appetizer I love, it’s a basket of fried shrimp. That puffy, crunchy batter mixes perfectly with the taste of the shrimp inside. It’s a classic appetizer that is great served alone, or with your favorite sauce!
For our recipe, we wanted to keep our shrimp decidedly Southern, so we looked for a great cajun-spiced batter. There’s nothing tremendously fancy about this meal, just good down-home southern cooking. It’s perfectly paired with a bottle of beer to drink, and a warm day eating outside. Keep reading below for our favorite recipe…
Fried Shrimp
(makes 6-8 servings)
Ingredients
- 3lbs large raw shrimp, peeled, tails intact
- 1 cup while milk
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoonCajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup finely ground cornmeal
- 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- peanut, canola, or other oil for frying
Directions
- Use a sharp paring knife to butterfly and devein the shrimp.
- In another large bowl, whisk together the milk, buttermilk, egg, mustard, and 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning. Pour the mixture over the shrimp, cover, and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to an hour.
- In a shallow bowl, combine the 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning with the salt, cornmeal, flour, and cayenne.
- Dredge the shrimp in the cornmeal mixture and shake off any excess. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer on 2 baking sheets.
- Pour enough oil into a Dutch oven or other deep pot to reach a depth of 3 inches. Heat the oil to 325F. Place wire cooling racks over a baking sheet lined with paper towels for easier cleanup.
- Fry the shrimp in small batches, being careful to not crowd the pot, flipping once, until golden brown (about 1 1/2 minutes on each side). Transfer the shrimp to the wire racks to let drain a few moments. Serve hot.
- Enjoy!
Recipe adapted fromLeites Culinaria