Description
Incredibly crispy fried shrimp with a golden, crunchy coating and tender, juicy interior. This easy recipe uses a buttermilk marinade and double-coating technique for restaurant-quality results at home. Perfect for dinner, appetizers, or po’ boy sandwiches!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Shrimp:
- 1 ½ pounds large shrimp (21–25 count), peeled and deveined
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
For the Breading:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
For Frying:
- Vegetable oil for frying (about 4-6 cups depending on pan size)
For Serving:
- Lemon wedges
- Cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, or remoulade
Instructions
- Marinate the shrimp: Place the cleaned and deveined shrimp in a large bowl. Pour buttermilk over them and add hot sauce if using. Toss to coat evenly, cover, and refrigerate for 15 minutes while you prepare the breading stations. This step helps tenderize the shrimp and helps the coating adhere better.
- Set up your breading station: Arrange three shallow bowls in a row. In the first bowl, combine flour, 1 teaspoon paprika, ¾ teaspoon garlic powder, ¾ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne. In the second bowl, whisk together eggs and water until smooth. In the third bowl, mix panko breadcrumbs with the remaining seasonings (1 teaspoon paprika, ¾ teaspoon garlic powder, ¾ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon cayenne, and oregano).
- Bread the shrimp: Remove shrimp from buttermilk, letting excess drip off. Working with one shrimp at a time, coat it in seasoned flour, shaking off excess. Dip into egg mixture, letting excess drip off. Finally, press into panko mixture, coating thoroughly and pressing gently so crumbs adhere. Place breaded shrimp on a plate or baking sheet. Repeat with all shrimp.
- Heat the oil: Pour oil into your heavy pot to a depth of 2-3 inches. Heat over medium-high heat until temperature reaches 350-375°F on your thermometer. This temperature is crucial for crispy, non-greasy shrimp.
- Fry the shrimp: Working in batches of 4-6 shrimp (don’t overcrowd), carefully add shrimp to hot oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes, flipping halfway through, until deep golden brown and cooked through. Shrimp should float and be crispy. Internal temperature should reach 120°F.
- Drain and rest: Using tongs or a spider strainer, remove fried shrimp and place on a wire rack set over a baking sheet (or on paper towels). This allows excess oil to drip away while keeping the coating crispy. Let the oil return to proper temperature between batches.
- Serve immediately: Transfer crispy fried shrimp to a serving platter. Serve hot with lemon wedges and your choice of dipping sauces. Enjoy while crispy!
Notes
- Don’t skip the buttermilk marinade – it makes a huge difference in tenderness and flavor.
- Maintain oil temperature between 350-375°F throughout frying. Too cool and shrimp absorb oil and become greasy; too hot and they burn outside while staying raw inside.
- Panko breadcrumbs are essential for maximum crispiness – regular breadcrumbs won’t give the same results.
- For extra-large shrimp (16-20 count), increase cooking time to 3-4 minutes.
- Let oil come back to temperature between batches for consistent results.
- These are best served immediately but can be kept warm in a 200°F oven for up to 15 minutes if needed.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 6-8 shrimp (approximately 6 oz)
- Calories: 385
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 890mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 245mg