This New Orleans-Style BBQ Shrimp is a zesty, easy recipe that’s scrumptious for your family dinner, but special enough for weekend guests. The sauce has bold flavor, so grab some crusty bread for dipping!
Hey there friends. Today, I’m sharing one of our favorite easy shrimp recipes that’s loaded with flavor. This New Orleans-Style BBQ Shrimp is a family dinner we enjoy all year long, but even more so on Fridays during the Lenten season.
Tom and I first enjoyed New Orleans-style bbq shrimp when we were with friends on a trip to St. Michael’s Maryland. We went to a cute little restaurant in the center of town and they served it as an appetizer with some focaccia bread for dipping. Seriously, we were hooked with our first bite!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
You’re going to love the sauce for this shrimp. It’s a combination of Worcestershire sauce, fresh lemon juice, some Emeril’s Essence spice, which you can find at your local market or make homemade, fresh rosemary, garlic, onion and white wine. It’s da bomb!
The recipe is so versatile. Serve it as an appetizer with crusty bread or focaccia for dipping in the sauce or serve it as a dinner over rice.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- shrimp
- cracked black peppercorns
- Emeril’s Essence
- fresh rosemary
- olive oil
- white cooking wine
- Worcestershire sauce
- lemons
- yellow onion
- garlic
- hot sauce
- unsalted butter
Step-By-Step Instructions
The first step is to place your shrimp in a medium bowl and toss with half of the cracked pepper, two teaspoons of the Emeril’s Essence and the rosemary until evenly coated. You’ll cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator .
The second step is to heat one tablespoon of your olive oil in a deep 12-inch skillet over high heat. You’ll add the shrimp shells, the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of cracked black pepper and one teaspoon Essence and cook for three minutes, stirring occasionally.
The third step is to add the wine, 3 cups water, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, onion, garlic and hot sauce.
You’ll bring this mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer and let it gently bubble for 45 minutes, then you’ll strain the mixture through a coarse strainer. You will have about one cup of the bbq base.
The fourth step is heat a 14-inch skillet over high heat. You’ll add your remaining olive oil, then your shrimp and cook for two minutes, searing on each side. At this point, you’ll pour in the bbq base and then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about another minute or two until the shrimp are cooked through.
The last step is to remove the skillet from the heat and whisk in the butter, one piece at a time, making sure not to add the next piece until the previous piece is totally melted. I like to take out a few spoonfuls of the sauce at this time to a small bowl filled with one tablespoon of flour and whisk together until smooth and then add back to the sauce in the skillet. I like my sauce just a smidge thicker. This is optional.
You’ll transfer the shrimp to a serving platter or individual plates if serving as an appetizer and top each with some of the sauce.
If you are serving as a dinner you can serve the shrimp and sauce over some white rice.
What to Serve with New Orleans-Style BBQ Shrimp
I like to serve this shrimp dish with crusty bread for soaking up that glorious sauce! It’s also delicious served with white rice.
This tasty shrimp dish would be perfect for your Friday night dinner! So easy, so much flavor and a winner with everyone!
Please let me know if you give this recipe a try. And if you have any questions about the recipe, just drop a comment below. Enjoy!
A Few Cook’s Notes for New Orleans-Style BBQ Shrimp
If you would rather make your Emeril’s Essence spice homemade, I have attached the recipe HERE. I love to make it homemade and keep it in an airtight container in my pantry for other recipes. The recipe will make about 2/3 cup.
I add my black peppercorns to my mortar and roughly crack them with the pestle. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, you can add your peppercorns to a small Ziploc bag and bag with the skillet to crack them.
More Delicious Shrimp Recipes to Enjoy
New Orleans-Style BBQ Shrimp
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on, shells reserved
- 1 Tbsp. cracked black peppercorns
- 3 tsp. Emeril's Essence
- 1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 cup white cooking wine
- 3 cups water
- 3/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp. garlic, finely minced
- 1 Tbsp. hot sauce, use your favorite
- 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
Instructions
- Place your shrimp in a medium bowl and toss with half of the cracked pepper, one teaspoon of the Emeril's Essence and the rosemary until evenly coated. You'll cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator .
- Heat one tablespoon of your olive oil in a deep 12-inch skillet over high heat. You'll add the shrimp shells, the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of cracked black pepper and one teaspoon Essence and cook for three minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wine, 3 cups water, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, onion, garlic and hot sauce. Bring this mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer and let it gently bubble for 45 minutes, then you'll strain the mixture through a coarse strainer. You will have about one cup of the bbq base.
- Heat a 14-inch skillet over high heat. You'll add your remaining olive oil, then your shrimp and cook for two minutes, searing on each side. At this point, you'll pour in the bbq base and then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about another minute or two until the shrimp are cooked through.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and whisk in the butter, one piece at a time, making sure not to add the next piece until the previous piece is totally melted. I like to take out a few spoonfuls of the sauce at this time to a small bowl filled with one tablespoon of flour and whisk together until smooth and then add back to the sauce in the skillet. I like my sauce just a smidge thicker. This is optional.
- Transfer the shrimp to a serving platter or individual plates if serving as an appetizer and top each with some of the sauce. If you are serving as a dinner you can serve the shrimp and sauce over some white rice.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Emeril Lagasse
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