Prejean's Barbeque Shrimp

New Orleans barbecue shrimp has nothing to do with a grill. It’s a skillet dish: shell-on shrimp cooked fast and hard in a ridiculous amount of butter, black pepper, garlic, Worcestershire, and beer. The shells are the point. They protect the shrimp from the high heat while releasing flavor into the sauce as it builds.

This recipe from Prejean’s, the legendary Lafayette restaurant, moves fast. A whole stick of butter melts with garlic, Worcestershire, and a spice mix of basil, bay leaf, thyme, black pepper, and hot sauce over high heat. The shrimp go in and cook for just two minutes while you shake the pan. Chicken stock extends the sauce, then beer finishes it. Total cooking time: about five minutes.

Shaking the pan instead of stirring is critical. Stirring breaks the butter sauce and turns it greasy. Shaking keeps everything in motion and emulsifies the butter with the stock and beer into a smooth, glossy sauce that clings to the shells.

Chef Tips

• Leave the shells on. Peeled shrimp overcook in this much heat and the sauce loses half its flavor.
• Use room temperature beer. Cold beer dropped into hot butter can cause splattering.
• Shake, don’t stir. This instruction appears twice in the recipe because it matters that much. Stirring breaks the emulsion.
• Serve in bowls with plenty of crusty French bread. The sauce is the real star, and you need something to soak it up.

Variations

• Add a tablespoon of Creole mustard to the sauce for extra tang and a more complex flavor.
• Use dark beer or stout instead of lager for a deeper, more roasted note in the sauce.
• Toss in sliced andouille sausage with the shrimp for a surf-and-turf Cajun version.