Yummy Barbecued Shrimp

These barbecued shrimp have nothing to do with a grill. The name is pure New Orleans, where this style was popularized at Pascal’s Manale in the 1950s. The dish is essentially shrimp swimming in a rich, peppery butter sauce loaded with Worcestershire sauce, herbs, and just enough cayenne to wake you up. You bake it, you sop the sauce with crusty bread, you eat with your hands. Bibs are not optional.

Leave the shells on. This is the rule. The shells protect the shrimp from drying out during the bake, infuse the butter with shrimp flavor, and act as little cups that hold sauce against the meat. Peeling them after they’re cooked is part of the messy ritual. Skip the peel-on step and you’ve lost the soul of the dish.

The overnight marinade is genuinely worth the wait. The Worcestershire sauce, herbs, and beef extract penetrate the shrimp meat through the shells over 8+ hours, building flavor at every layer.

Bring the shrimp back to room temperature before baking. Cold shrimp going into a 350°F (175°C) oven cooks unevenly, leaving you with overcooked outer parts and undercooked centers.

Don’t overbake. 20 minutes is for 3 pounds of large shrimp; check at 15 if your shrimp are smaller. Overcooked shrimp turn rubbery in seconds.

Pro Tips

• Use raw, unpeeled, head-on shrimp if your fishmonger has them. Heads add tons of flavor to the butter sauce.
• Serve with plenty of crusty French bread or baguette for sopping. The buttery sauce is the entire point.
• Provide finger bowls or wet towels at the table. This dish is messy by design.

Variations

• Add the juice of half a lemon to the sauce just before baking for brightness.
• Stir in 2 tablespoons of hot sauce (Crystal or Tabasco) for proper Louisiana heat.
• Top with chopped fresh parsley and serve over creamy grits or rice for a fuller meal.