New Orleans White BBQ Shrimp is a bit of a fabrication. “White BBQ” was coined by a Sarasota chef whose recipe I couldn’t get, so I recreated it myself. The result captures the original’s velvety texture and subtle peppery heat. Inspired by Pascal’s Manale’s famous 1950s BBQ Shrimp, it’s all about butter, Worcestershire, and spice.
Ingredients
Base
- 20 large shrimp raw, shells on, 5 shrimp per person
Fat
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
Produce
- 2 whole shallots, finely chopped
- 4 cloves grated garlic
- 8-10 whole cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1 whole green bell pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 3 tbsp parsley chopped
Flavor
- kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano flakes
- 2 tsp Cajun Spice Mix
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 pinch sugar
- 1/2 cup white wine
Dairy
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2-3 tbsp chilled unsalted butter
Pantry
- 1 cup chicken or shrimp stock
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 2-3 tbsp water
Instructions
Gather ingredients before starting the recipe.
- Peel 20 large shrimp, remove the shells but leave the tails on. Set shrimp and shells aside.
- Heat 1-2 tbsp olive oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat for 1-2 minutes.
- Add 2 shallots and shrimp shells to the skillet. Sauté, stirring often, until the shrimp shells turn pink and the shallots are translucent for about 5 minutes.
- Add 4 cloves grated garlic, stir and sauté for another minute or until the garlic becomes fragrant. Add 1 whole green bell pepper, chopped and 8-10 whole cherry or grape tomatoes, chopped, and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add 1 tsp ground black pepper, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp dried oregano flakes, 2 tsp Cajun Spice Mix, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin and 1 pinch sugar and stir to combine. Add 1/2 cup white wine and 1 cup chicken or shrimp stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes.
- Strain the sauce, pushing the solids through a fine sieve, then transferring the sauce to a wide saucepan large enough to fit all the shrimp.
- Bring sauce to a boil and let it roll for 2 or 3 minutes, add shelled shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the shrimp turn pink. Remove shrimp from pan and set aside.
- Stir in 1 tbsp corn starch dissolved in 2-3 tbsp water to the sauce. You ultimately want the sauce to be thick enough to barely leave a trail but not too thick. Add 2-3 tbsp chilled unsalted butter, one tablespoon at a time and swirl until melted.
- Add 1/2 cup heavy cream and stir until combined. Return the shrimp to the pan and heat for 2-3 minutes until the shrimp and the sauce have been warmed through.
- Garnish with 3 tbsp parsley chopped.
Serving
- Serve immediately with toasted baguette, rice, grits or a side of baby new potatoes and green beans tossed in garlic butter.
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