Southern Fried Shrimp Recipe {Guest Post} - B Honest Media (2024)

Guest Post: Today’s Guest Post is from my college friend Jessica Ambrose. We became fast friends because we had the same name and are from the same state, NC! Jessica is the founder of The Redheaded Princess where she shares her delicious recipes with step-by-step instruction and fun craft tutorials. Today she’s sharing a yummy Southern Friend Shrimp recipe which makes me long for the ocean.

Southern Fried Shrimp Recipe {Guest Post} - B Honest Media (1)

Southern Fried Shrimp

Okay, so in case you didn’t know it, I grew up on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, a small southern area right next to the ocean. My Pop Pop was a fishermen and a couple of my uncles were too. So naturally, we had our abundance of fresh seafood. I was definitely spoiled when it came to that area. I remember my Pop Pop had a shrimpin’ boat by his house (which was right on the water). For a time, my sister and I stayed with them and one evening during our stay he and my Grandma Emma took us out for about a twenty minutes. I don’t remember how long it really was, I was 11 and it wasn’t a very long time…we were hungry ☺ When we came back, Grandma made us some (for real) fresh shrimp. Talk about delicious! I loved her seafood, though she wasn’t a southerner (she was from Canada) she cooked some amazing things (some not so amazing…that story for another day:) ) Well, I wish I would’ve gotten her recipe before she passed but I was a young newlywed and didn’t think of it. So for a few years, I tried different recipes for Fried Shrimp and I was usually disappointed. The reason being that the recipes I tried were either too thick and took forever to cook making the shrimp taste rubbery and overcooked since they were made with egg and egg batters take longer to be fully cooked. OR the batter wouldn’t stick and ended up falling off the shrimp. Consequently, I had quite a few failures UNTIL, I found THIS recipe from one of my favorites, Paula Deen. It’s such a great recipe! The breading is light and flaky and has just the right amount of flavor. The only thing different is that I just use vegetable oil or canola oil for frying and I cut down the pepper. My girls liked it, except they kept saying that their mouths were burning. Needless to say, they drank ALL of their milk that night and then some, LOL. Well, I hope you enjoy this recipe and though I cannot take all the credit, it has become a staple in my Recipe Book. Enjoy!

Southern Fried Shrimp Recipe {Guest Post} - B Honest Media (2)

Ingredients

1 cup milk

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup hot sauce

2 cups self-rising flour IMG(SFS2)Small

1/4 cup self-rising cornmeal

1 tablespoons coarse ground black pepper

3 tablespoons salt

2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Canola or vegetable oil, for frying

Directions

Preheat oil to 375 degrees F. I actually used a thermometer this time, because my oil was way too preheated and I ended up burning some of the shrimp. I’ll show you later…

Southern Fried Shrimp Recipe {Guest Post} - B Honest Media (3)

Next, I peeled the shrimp (tail and all) because it’s easier with kids and my DH to just have them already peeled so when it’s time to eat, Mommy can enjoy her dinner in peace… 🙂 I drained them then laid them out on a paper towel and patted dry.

Southern Fried Shrimp Recipe {Guest Post} - B Honest Media (4)

Southern Fried Shrimp Recipe {Guest Post} - B Honest Media (5)

Line a baking tray with paper towels and set aside. In a shallow baking dish, whisk together milk, buttermilk and Texas Pete. Tip* If you don’t have buttermilk, then pour a cup of milk in a measuring cup, then add a tablespoon of vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes. I prefer to use the real thing, so I usually have it in my fridge, but if I forget, I’ve used this and it worked fine.

Southern Fried Shrimp Recipe {Guest Post} - B Honest Media (6)

Southern Fried Shrimp Recipe {Guest Post} - B Honest Media (7)

In a separate shallow baking dish, whisk together flour, cornmeal, pepper and salt. Make sure your shrimp are dry and dredge in the dry mixture first,

Southern Fried Shrimp Recipe {Guest Post} - B Honest Media (8)

Southern Fried Shrimp Recipe {Guest Post} - B Honest Media (9)

Then dip them in the wet mixture and finally the dry mixture again. Shake off excess between each dredging.

Southern Fried Shrimp Recipe {Guest Post} - B Honest Media (10)Southern Fried Shrimp Recipe {Guest Post} - B Honest Media (11)

Deep-fry in batches, but do not overload the fryer. Fry for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on the paper towel lined baking tray. So as I mentioned earlier, my oil was too hot. Here’s what happened to my shrimp 🙁 BUT, thermometer to the rescue! I lowered the heat, inserted the thermometer and just waited till the temperature got back to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Then it only takes 2 minutes. I actually love to make shrimp on a weeknight because it’s such a quick cooking meal. I will usually have some broccoli steaming as I’m prepping and cooking and I fry up some hushpuppies in the same oil as the shrimp.

Also, serve with some homemade co*cktail sauce. Just mix ketchup with a little bit of horseradish and a splash of lemon juice and Voila! Delicious co*cktail sauce!

Southern Fried Shrimp Recipe {Guest Post} - B Honest Media (12)

Southern Fried Shrimp Recipe {Guest Post} - B Honest Media (13)

Jess Ambrose a.k.a The Redheaded Princess is a full-time mother of 3 little princesses, a wife, and a teacher to toddlers. She loves to bake, cook, crochet, read, runand a TON of other stuff. She is a DIYer and if she doesn’t know how to do something she’ll figure it out and probably write about it. She puts a lot of ‘love’ in all that she does and has some pretty awesome recipes too. Shehopes she can inspire others to realize that adding alittle ‘love’ and elbow grease is not so hard and making things special is something their family will cherish forever.

2K Shares

Southern Fried Shrimp Recipe {Guest Post} - B Honest Media (2024)

FAQs

Why do you soak shrimp in milk before frying? ›

Should I Soak My Shrimp? This one comes down to the chef's preference. Some prefer to soak seafood in milk before cooking to keep it from tasting too fishy. If you choose to soak your shrimp, you should do so with whole milk for at least 10 minutes.

How long do you deep fry shrimp at 375 degrees? ›

Fry
  1. As you near the end of breading, heat a pot of oil to 350-375° F. ...
  2. Important: Make sure the oil is sufficiently heated before you add the shrimp. ...
  3. Fry the shrimp in batches for 3-4 minutes per batch, until a golden-brown color is obtained.
Apr 17, 2023

How long to deep fry medium shrimp? ›

Fry 4 or 5 shrimp at a time in oil about 1 minute, turning once, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Why do you dip the shrimp in egg prior to adding the breadcrumb coating? ›

To keep the batter from falling off shrimp, pat the shrimp dry before tossing with the flour. By coating the shrimp in flour and then dipping in egg whites, you create a sticky coating for the breadcrumbs to adhere to.

How long should you soak shrimp in milk? ›

Soak the shrimp – In a large bowl, mix together the milk, ½ teaspoon salt, the black pepper, half the granulated garlic, half the paprika, and half of the oregano. Add in the shrimp and let soak for 10 minutes. Coat the shrimp – Once the shrimp is finished soaking, shake free of excess milk.

What is the best oil for frying shrimp? ›

And if you want to do even better, choose a heart-healthy vegetable oil like olive oil or sunflower oil, rather than butter, lard, or palm oil. Overheating the oil (and thus your shrimp) isn't just a lazy way to cook—it can make your meal less healthy.

How do you know when shrimp is fully fried? ›

Perfectly cooked shrimp will be opaque with a color ranging from pink or orange, depending on variety. Their tails should curl in slightly to make a C-shape. Overcooked shrimp will be a solid white-pink color, with their tails completely curled into a tight circle.

How do you keep shrimp straight when frying? ›

Turn the shrimp over, back side up, and using your fingertips, gently pinch while pressing down on the flesh, moving from tip to tail to straighten and lengthen it. Your shrimp is now ready for battering and frying, a process through which it will remain straight.

How many pounds of shrimp to fry per person? ›

Here are tips from our experts on how to shop for shrimp and how to perfectly prepare it. The rule of thumb when you are buying shrimp is that you should get 1 pound of raw and unpeeled shrimp per person or, if you are buying it cooked and peeled, 1/2 -1/3 pound per person.

Why does the batter fall off my fried shrimp? ›

Shake off any extra flour or breadcrumbs after you first dip your seafood in them. If your initial layer is too thick, your egg and second breading layer may slide right off.

How do I get breading to stick to my shrimp? ›

Recipe Tips for Panko Shrimp

You want to make the shrimp as dry as possible and remove any excess moisture prior to seasoning and frying. Once the shrimp are dredged in the seasoning mix, let them rest for 10-15 minutes while the oil heats up. This helps the batter stick to the shrimp when frying!

Why is my fried shrimp soggy? ›

You Thawed Shrimp Improperly

Don't use warm or hot water, and don't run water over them without the bag, or the shrimp will soak up water and turn soggy. That's also why we recommend a colander in the preferred method—so the shrimp don't end up waterlogged.

Should I rinse fish after soaking in milk? ›

Online research had recommended letting the fish soak submerged in milk for around 20 minutes, before rinsing and cooking in your preferred fashion.

Why do you soak shrimp before cooking? ›

Most types of shrimp will benefit from the simple, inexpensive process of brining, no matter how you plan on cooking them. Brining is like a marinade but instead of flavoring, it's sole purpose is to keep food tender and moist.

Why add baking soda to shrimp before cooking? ›

Alkaline baking soda slightly alters the pH of the shrimp, making them as plump and succulent as lobster and resistant to overcooking. The brine also causes the meat to pull away from the shells while cooking, so you get all the great flavor of shell-on shrimp without the hassle.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Lilliana Bartoletti

Last Updated:

Views: 6806

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (53 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Lilliana Bartoletti

Birthday: 1999-11-18

Address: 58866 Tricia Spurs, North Melvinberg, HI 91346-3774

Phone: +50616620367928

Job: Real-Estate Liaison

Hobby: Graffiti, Astronomy, Handball, Magic, Origami, Fashion, Foreign language learning

Introduction: My name is Lilliana Bartoletti, I am a adventurous, pleasant, shiny, beautiful, handsome, zealous, tasty person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.