Paula Deen Fried Shrimp

Paula Deen fried shrimp is a crispy, golden seafood dish with buttermilk, hot sauce and a self-rising flour and cornmeal crust that comes together in 30 minutes. It's an easy shrimp appetizer for game day, cookout or Sunday dinner, and it's classic Southern comfort food that serves 15.

Dredge each shrimp dry, then wet, then dry again, and shake off the excess every time. Skip that second dry coat and the breading turns thin and patchy, so it slides off in the hot oil.

Paula soaks the shrimp in a milk, buttermilk and hot sauce mix, which gives the coating a gentle tang and plenty to cling to. The cornmeal in the flour adds crunch, and frying in peanut oil at 375°F keeps each shrimp from getting greasy.

Paula Deen Fried Shrimp

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Course: AppetizerCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

15

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Calories

190

kcal

A seasoned flour and cornmeal coating turns shatteringly crisp around juicy shrimp after just 2 minutes in hot oil. The tangy buttermilk dip keeps the breading clinging to every curve, tail and all.

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
  

• 1 cup buttermilk
  

• 1 cup Hot sauce
  

• 2 cups self rising flour
  

• 1/4 cup self rising cornmeal
  

• 2 tablespoons coarse ground Black pepper
  

• 3 tablespoons salt
  

• 2 lbs medium peeled and deveined with tails left on shrimp
  

• for frying Peanut oil
  

Directions

• Heat the oil: Preheat the peanut oil to 375°F in a deep fryer or heavy pot. While it heats, line a baking tray with paper towels and set it aside.
• Mix the wet dip: Whisk 1 cup milk, 1 cup buttermilk and 1 cup hot sauce together in a shallow baking dish. That tangy mix is what makes the breading stick.
• Mix the dry coating: Whisk 2 cups self-rising flour, 1/4 cup self-rising cornmeal, 2 tablespoons coarse ground black pepper and 3 tablespoons salt in a separate shallow dish. Make sure your shrimp are dry before they go anywhere near it.
• Dredge the shrimp: Coat the 2 pounds of shrimp in the dry mixture first, then the wet mixture, and then the dry mixture again. Shake off the excess between each dredging so the crust stays light.
• Fry in batches: Lower the shrimp into the hot oil in batches, and don't overload the fryer. Fry for 2 minutes or until golden brown.
• Drain and serve: Lift the shrimp out with a slotted spoon and set them on the paper towel lined tray to drain. Serve them warm.

Tools for this recipe

• OXO stainless slotted spoon, ThermoPro instant-read thermometer, Checkered Chef cooling racks. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use frozen shrimp for fried shrimp?

Yes, as long as you thaw them completely in the fridge first. Then pat them very dry with paper towels, because any leftover water keeps the coating from sticking and makes the oil spatter.

What can I use instead of peanut oil?

Vegetable or canola oil works fine, since both handle 375°F without trouble. Peanut oil is the Southern favorite because it fries clean and doesn't add any flavor of its own.

Can I make the shrimp ahead of time?

Fried shrimp is best eaten right away, while the crust is still crisp. If you need to hold a batch, keep it on a rack in a 200°F oven for a short while. Stacking it in a covered dish steams the breading soft.

Can I make these in an air fryer instead?

An air fryer won't give you the same crust as deep frying, since the wet dredge needs hot oil to set. If you try it, spray the coated shrimp generously with oil and expect a drier, lighter result.

Why is my breading falling off the shrimp?

Wet shrimp is the usual culprit, so dry them well before the first dredge. Crowding the fryer does it too, because the shrimp bump into each other and knock the coating loose.