New Orleans BBQ Shrimp
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New Orleans BBQ Shrimp is a classic seafood recipe made with fresh shrimp and a rich, tangy butter sauce with bold Creole flavors.
New Orleans BBQ Shrimp is a delicious dish that you’ll find in restaurants all over New Orleans (my favorite is Pascal’s Manale). Despite its name, the shrimp is not barbecued. Instead, it’s prepared with a savory butter sauce with just the right amount of spice and tangy flavor to perfectly complement the shrimp.
Since I don’t get to New Orleans nearly often enough, I’ve developed my own New Orleans-style BBQ shrimp recipe. It is great for parties and simple enough to throw together for a weeknight dinner.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Shrimp – For this recipe, you’ll want to use peel-on shrimp for a richer flavor. Make sure you either buy it deveined or devein it yourself before cooking. 16/20 size shrimp is perfect for this recipe.
- Creole seasoning – Our measurements for this spicy seasoning are on the conservative side. If you want a bolder flavor feel free to add more.
- Olive oil – Just a little olive oil is used to cook the onions and garlic.
- Green onion – You’ll use the white and green part of the onion for this dish so nothing will go to waste!
- Garlic – 6 cloves of garlic give the butter sauce a great flavor.
- Lemon – The zesty citrus flavor of the lemon helps cut through the savory, salty sauce and really makes the flavors pop.
- Rosemary – I suggest fresh rosemary for this recipe to give it the best flavor but you can use dried rosemary in a pinch.
- Amber beer – You can use any brand amber beer.
- Worcestershire sauce – This adds a salty, savory flavor to the sauce.
- Hot sauce – We use Tabasco sauce but you can use your favorite hot sauce. Add more if you want a little more spice!
- Unsalted butter – We recommend unsalted butter for this recipe since the Worcestershire sauce has so much salt in it.
To Peel or Not to Peel? While you can make this dish with peeled shrimp, to get that rich, savory flavor in the sauce that requires the extra step of cooking the shrimp peels to create a flavorful stock. Traditionally New Orleans BBQ Shrimp uses shrimp with the peel on so that everything cooks together.
Instructions
- Season shrimp. In a large bowl toss together your shrimp and the creole seasoning. Set bowl aside.
- Prepare onions and lemons. Cut the green onion into thin slices separating the white portion from the green portion. Cut the lemon in half. Cut one half into circles and squeeze the other half into a small dish.
- Saute. Heat a large skillet (we recommend a 12-inch skillet) over medium-high heat. Once hot add the olive oil, the white portion of the green onion, the minced garlic, and the minced rosemary to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn.
- Add the liquids. Pour the amber beer, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce into the pan and bring to a boil. You can turn the heat up slightly if needed.
- Cook shrimp. Once boiling add the shrimp and cut lemon slices to the pan and toss with the liquid to coat. Let cook for approximately 5-7 minutes or until shrimp are pink and cooked through.
- Toss in butter. Once the shrimp is cooked remove the pan from the heat and add the lemon juice and butter, stir and toss to coat the shrimp until the butter is fully melted.
- Serve. Garnish with the green portion of the green onions and serve with slices of crusty French bread.
The Origin of New Orleans BBQ Shrimp
New Orleans BBQ Shrimp was first created in the 1950s at Pascal’s Manale, a renowned restaurant in New Orleans. The dish was inspired by Italian and Creole flavors, resulting in a unique and flavorful combination. The name “BBQ Shrimp” might be misleading, as there is no BBQ involved. The name instead comes from the dark reddish-brown coloring of the final dish that looks similar to BBQ sauce.
Sides to Serve with New Orleans BBQ Shrimp
Traditionally this dish is served with a few slices of crusty French bread that can be used to soak up that delicious sauce while you peel and eat your shrimp. You can also serve it with homemade hush puppies or southern cornbread.
You can also serve it over white rice or mashed potatoes. I love it with our creamy polenta!
Looking for More Delicious Shrimp Recipes?
- Easy Shrimp Pasta Salad
- Gambas Pil Pil (Chili Garlic Shrimp)
- Cheesy Shrimp Casserole
- Shrimp Salad
- Shrimp Ceviche
- Citrus Marinated Grilled Shrimp
- Instant Pot Shrimp Boil
- Shrimp Alfredo Pasta
- More Shrimp Recipes…
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New Orleans BBQ Shrimp
Ingredients
- 2 pounds 16/20 Shrimp, deveined peel-on
- 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning, add more if you want a bolder flavor
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 Green onion
- 6 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 Lemon
- 1 teaspoon Fresh minced rosemary
- ⅓ cup Amber beer
- 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon Hot sauce, add more if you want a bolder flavor
- 3/4 cup Unsalted butter, cut into cubes
Instructions
- In a large bowl toss together your shrimp and the creole seasoning. Set bowl aside.
- Cut the green onion into thin slices separating the white portion from the green portion.
- Cut the lemon in half. Cut one half into circles and squeeze the other half into a small dish.
- Heat a large skillet (we recommend a 12-inch skillet) over medium-high heat. Once hot add the olive oil, the white portion of the green onion, the minced garlic, and the minced rosemary to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn.
- Pour the amber beer, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce into the pan and bring to a boil. You can turn the heat up slightly if needed.
- Once boiling add the shrimp and cut lemon slices to the pan and toss with the liquid to coat. Let cook for approximately 5-7 minutes or until shrimp are pink and cooked through.
- Once the shrimp is cooked remove the pan from the heat and add the lemon juice and butter, stir and toss to coat the shrimp until the butter is fully melted.
- Garnish with the green portion of the green onions and serve with slices of crusty French bread.
Nutrition
