New Orleans BBQ Shrimp

Last Updated on February 26, 2022 by Chenée Lewis

This is the best New Orleans BBQ Shrimp with beer! The easy New Orleans BBQ shrimp sauce is so buttery and flavorful - perfect for Mardi Gras or anytime you want some of that NOLA flavor! And if you like this barbecue shrimp recipe, try my Cast Iron Skillet Salmon with Maple Dijon Sauce, my Shrimp Macaroni Salad With Cajun Spices, and my Smoked Mac and Cheese with Bacon!

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Best New Orleans BBQ Shrimp Sauce

I'm so excited to share this recipe for New Orleans BBQ Shrimp. It may not be the first thing you think of when you think of barbecue, but it's so good that it might be your new go-to. Instead of being grilled and tossed in a sweet, smoky sauce, we're making these New Orleans BBQ shrimp with beer, butter, and pepper, and sautéing it all in a rich, buttery sauce. It's such an easy recipe to master, but SO good! And I'm sure that once you try it, you'll be enjoying it for years to come!

Barbecue Shrimp Recipe

I've been to New Orleans a handful of times now, but I'm always up for a trip there! It's by far my favorite city to visit, and I have to admit that the biggest reason is the amazing food and drink culture there. I've had more unbelievable seafood, fried chicken, po-boys, desserts, cocktails, and beignets than I can count! Especially cocktails...

But before this turns into a travel blog, let me just get on with telling you about this New Orleans BBQ Shrimp. Suffice it to say that this is one of many amazing meals I've had in NOLA, and I can't wait to get back there to have more!

Where did BBQ shrimp originate?

As I mentioned, the recipe for New Orleans BBQ Shrimp involves a buttery, savory sauce. The idea for this dish, according to legend, originated in Chicago, believe it or not! In 1953, a regular of the historic New Orleans restaurant, Pascal's Manale, came to New Orleans from a business trip to Chicago. Upon his return, he raved about a shrimp dish he'd had in Chicago involving butter and black pepper. The head chef of Pascal's Manale, Jake Radosta, attempted to recreate it based on the description, and in the end it wasn't quite the same -- it was better!

These days, Pascal's Manale serves BBQ shrimp as a sandwich at lunch, or with bibs at dinner -- the buttery sauce can be messy, and you need to use your hands to peel the shrimp!

How do you eat New Orleans BBQ shrimp?

The bbq shrimp recipe, which has spread throughout the restaurants of New Orleans, generally contains large head-on shrimp, butter, Worcestershire sauce, spices, black pepper, and white wine. It's often served with crusty French bread to soak up the delicious sauce, but in New Orleans you can also find this barbecue shrimp as part of a po-boy sandwich, or served with grits or rice.

Barbecue Shrimp Recipe Ingredients

This New Orleans BBQ shrimp with beer is SO easy. It comes together with just a few ingredients, and can cook in just 5-10 minutes. With just a skillet and a spatula or wooden spoon you can make this delicious shrimp dish! Here's what you'll need:

• shrimp - you'll need a pound of raw shrimp, with the shells and tails on -- I use the "ez-peel" variety. If you can find some with the heads on, even better!
• olive oil - to sauté your garlic!
• Worcestershire sauce - The biggest flavor boost for the sauce. It gives this shrimp its distinctive flavor.
• fresh lemon juice - brightens up the sauce a bit and adds more flavor.
• beer - this is my variation on the white wine that is traditionally included in the sauce. It adds complexity to the flavors that make this barbecue shrimp recipe SO good!
• black pepper - crucial! It should be freshly cracked for the most flavor. I use Tellicherry peppercorns.
• Creole seasoning - I use Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning, but you can use any Creole or Cajun seasoning blend you like, or make your own!
• cold butter - makes this sauce rich and buttery. I use salted butter because I find that it adds just enough salt to make the sauce flavorful, but you can definitely use unsalted butter and if necessary, adjust the salt in the recipe to your liking.
• Tabasco sauce - for serving, I typically use Crystal hot sauce, but Tabasco is more traditional.
• Optional French bread and lemon wedges to serve! The bread is perfect to sop up all that extra buttery sauce. And I have to have lemon wedges whenever I have seafood!

Once you have those ingredients ready, you're ready to get started on this quick New Orleans BBQ shrimp!

How to Make New Orleans BBQ Shrimp with Beer

This recipe takes about ten minutes from start to finish. I would recommend getting it started once you're fully ready to eat! I made this recipe on my Instagram Live recently, and even with all my chit chatting, the whole video was over in 15 minutes!

1. In a large sauté pan or cast-iron skillet, sauté your garlic in a little olive oil until it gets fragrant.
2. Add in your Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, beer, black pepper, and Creole seasoning.
3. Let the sauce cook down until it reduces by about half.
4. Add in your shrimp and cook about a minute per side, stirring constantly.
5. Stir in butter in small batches and let it melt. Once shrimp are cooked (don't overcook them-- they should be ready once they're pink), remove the skillet from the heat and let the flavors meld together for a few minutes.
6. Enjoy! Serve with French bread, rice, cauliflower rice, or cheese grits.

Tips and F.A.Q.

More Savory Recipes You'll Love

• Shrimp Macaroni Salad With Creole Spice
• Boursin Pasta - Tiktok Viral Recipe
• Cast Iron Skillet Salmon with Maple Dijon Sauce
• Lemon Shrimp Pasta with Kale
• Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup
• Chicken Macaroni Salad

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