Fried Shrimp

With breaded fried shrimp, you have two basic options. You can buy frozen shrimp that are already breaded, and they are usually very good, or you can do it yourself. I’m going to cover the latter here, because I can make them a little spicier. Of course, as I’ve said many times, don’t be afraid to experiment to make this your very own favorite fried shrimp recipe.

I won’t give you the directions for the pre-breaded frozen shrimp, because you should follow the directions on the package.

The meal I served that’s shown on the right includes a Streeterville Baked Potato, a simple red onion salad, and some dipping sauce. The sauce that is normally served is a seafood sauce, usually out of a bottle. If you don’t have any on hand, or don’t want to make the one at the link, mix a little horseradish and Worcestershire sauce with catsup, tasting as you go, and you’ll come up with a good substitute all by yourself. You might also like a splash or two of Tabasco.

Besides pre-breaded shrimp, you can also start with either fresh or frozen shrimp. For this dish, they shouldn’t be too small, so you’ll have to pay more than you would for cocktail shrimp. If you get fresh, make sure they smell ok — if they are too old and stink, forget it. Frozen shrimp work fine.

If you don’t get shelled and de-veined shrimp, you’ll have to do it yourself. You’ll also have to thaw them first in cold water for 15-30 minutes. Leave the shell on the tail, however, because you’ll like to use the handle when eating them. If you don’t know how to peel, de-vein, and butterfly the shrimp, visit our peeling and deveining shrimp page first.