Cajun Barbecue Shrimp is a Satisfying Mess!
Posted by Mark Cockerille on
I don't believe I have ever run into anyone who does not like shrimp. And everyone I run into has their favorite way to eat it - skewered on the grill, rolling in a bog, or steeped in an etouffee'. And many just like that juicy ice cold peeled shrimp with cocktail sauce for dipping. The Shrimp Cocktail had its heyday in the 1960's. It would arrive at your table with 5 large prawns (shrimp) hanging off the edge of a stemmed glass accompanied with a spicy cocktail sauce. There are so many ways to prepare shrimp, it boggles the mind! But in the early nineties, I had BBQ shrimp in a Charlotte NC restaurant as an appetizer. The plump shrimp were laced with a spicy, buttery broth that was just made for sopping with some crusty bread. I was hooked! The chef would not give me the recipe, but I did find a recipe that was very close and I tweaked it to make it my own. I don't know why but I seem to make this in January when the holidays are over, it's chilly outside and it is just you and a couple of friends over. Beware, it is messy! The shrimp need to be peeled so I would supply lots of paper towels and napkins, even bibs! Below is the recipe. Check out this recipe featured here.
Cajun Barbecue Shrimp
1 cup butter
1 cup vegetable oil
1 or 2 Garlic cloves crushed
1/2 tsp. Basil
1/2 tsp. Oregano
1/2 tsp. Cayenne pepper (or more)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Black pepper
1/2 tsp. Paprika
¼ tsp. Rosemary
5 Bay leaves
1 Tbls. fresh lemon juice.
3 lbs large shrimp, shell on
1 loaf French bread
Bring ingredients to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce and simmer 10 minutes. Let cool. While broth is cooling, wash the shrimp a couple rinses in fresh water. Drain well. Add shrimp to the cooled broth and bring to a boil. The shells from the shrimp will help add another layer of flavor to the sauce. When shrimp just starts to turn white in color, stir the pot well and carefully pour the whole thing into a 9x13 casserole and spread evenly. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. After about 10 minutes I go ahead and put a big loaf of French bread in the oven to crust up, then everything is done at the same time!
When done, ladle the shrimp and sauce into shallow bowls or plates. Serve with the hot crusty bread and have plenty of napkins. This is so doggone good...and messy.
Serves 4 generously or six as an appetizer. Let me know in the comments below your favorite way to eat shrimp!