Paula Deen Black Pepper Shrimp

Paula Deen black pepper shrimp turns unpeeled shrimp, garlic butter and a heavy hand of freshly ground pepper into a peppery sheet pan shrimp dinner in 20 minutes. Try this easy shrimp dinner for a Sunday dinner, a cookout or the holiday table, since it's all baked on one pan.

Use a heavy hand with the black pepper, and add a second coat after you turn the shrimp. Go light and you get plain garlic butter shrimp without the peppery bite that makes this dish worth making.

Paula bakes the shrimp with the shells on, so the butter and garlic soak in while the shells keep the meat tender and juicy. She also peppers the shrimp twice, once before baking and again after the turn, so the pepper stays bold instead of baking away.

Paula Deen Black Pepper Shrimp

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DinnerCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Calories

330

kcal

Garlic butter and coarse black pepper cling to plump shrimp that bake up pink and juicy in the shell. Peppering them a second time after the turn keeps the bite sharp, and the pan juices are made for dunking bread.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs unpeeled fresh shrimp
  

• 8 tablespoons Butter
  

• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
  

• 4 tablespoons freshly ground Black pepper
  

Directions

• Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 450°F. Then get a shallow baking pan ready for the shrimp.
• Prep the shrimp: Wash and drain 3 pounds of unpeeled fresh shrimp, then spread them in the shallow baking pan. Pat them fairly dry first so the butter coats them instead of sliding off.
• Make the garlic butter: Melt 8 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, then add 3 tablespoons of chopped garlic. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, so the garlic softens and flavors the butter.
• Coat and pepper: Pour the garlic butter over the shrimp and toss to coat them well. Then grind 4 tablespoons of black pepper over the top until the shrimp are well covered.
• Bake and turn: Bake the shrimp until they turn pink, about 5 minutes, then turn them over. Bake a few minutes longer and pepper them again, using a heavy hand.
• Serve: Serve the shrimp hot with warm bread and a salad. The bread is there to soak up the peppery garlic butter left in the pan.

Tools for this recipe

• Nordic Ware half sheet pan, Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 3-quart saucepan, OXO 12-inch locking tongs. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Should I peel the shrimp before baking them?

The recipe calls for unpeeled shrimp, and the shells help keep the meat juicy in the hot oven. It also means your guests peel at the table, which gets messy, so set out napkins and a bowl for the shells.

Can I use frozen shrimp for this?

Yes, as long as you thaw them fully in the fridge and drain them well first. Extra water on the shrimp thins out the garlic butter, so pat them dry before they go in the pan.

How do I know when the shrimp are done?

They turn pink and curl into a loose C shape after about 5 minutes, and they need only a few minutes more after the turn. A tight, rubbery curl means they have gone too long, so pull them out right away.

What can I serve with black pepper shrimp?

Paula suggests warm bread and a salad, and the bread does the most work by catching the pan juices. A little rice or grits would also soak up the garlic butter nicely.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Shrimp taste best straight from the oven, so I would not bake them early. You can melt the garlic butter and wash the shrimp ahead, then toss and bake when you are ready to eat.