Fried Shrimp
Crispy, golden fried shrimp coated in seasoned flour and buttermilk for the perfect crunchy bite.
Servings 8 people
Calories 503kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 4 cups peanut oil or vegetable oil, for frying (or more as needed)
- 2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Optional, for serving: tartar sauce (or other dipping sauce); lemon wedges; fresh parsley
Instructions
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together the self-rising flour, 1 tablespoon salt, Old Bay seasoning, and black pepper. Place the buttermilk in a separate shallow bowl. Pour the oil to a depth of 2-3 inches in a medium Dutch oven or cast iron skillet and warm over medium-high heat until it reaches 375°F.
- Meanwhile, pat the shrimp dry and dredge them in the flour mixture first, then coat with buttermilk, and dredge in the flour mixture again. Shake the shrimp after each coating to get off any excess flour or batter.
- Working in batches, fry shrimp until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes).
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shrimp to a paper towel-lined tray. You may need to increase the heat to keep the oil at a steady temperature between 350°F and 375°F as the shrimp fry.
- Keep the fried shrimp warm in a 200°F oven while you fry the remaining batches.
Video
Notes
• Pat shrimp completely dry so the coating sticks and crisps.
• Use self rising flour for a light, airy crust.
• Season the flour well so every bite has flavor.
• Keep oil between 350 and 375 degrees for best results.
• Fry in small batches to prevent the oil from cooling down.
• Shake off extra flour to avoid clumpy coating.
• Homemade buttermilk works in a pinch with lemon juice or vinegar.
• Peanut oil fries the crispiest shrimp, but vegetable oil works too.
• Keep cooked shrimp warm in a 200 degree oven while finishing batches.
• Reheat leftovers in an air fryer or oven to restore crispiness. Nutrition information is merely an estimate. Exact nutrition will vary, depending on the amount of coating that adheres to each piece of shrimp and on how much oil is absorbed by the shrimp during the cooking process. Recipe slightly adapted from Paula Deen.
• Use self rising flour for a light, airy crust.
• Season the flour well so every bite has flavor.
• Keep oil between 350 and 375 degrees for best results.
• Fry in small batches to prevent the oil from cooling down.
• Shake off extra flour to avoid clumpy coating.
• Homemade buttermilk works in a pinch with lemon juice or vinegar.
• Peanut oil fries the crispiest shrimp, but vegetable oil works too.
• Keep cooked shrimp warm in a 200 degree oven while finishing batches.
• Reheat leftovers in an air fryer or oven to restore crispiness. Nutrition information is merely an estimate. Exact nutrition will vary, depending on the amount of coating that adheres to each piece of shrimp and on how much oil is absorbed by the shrimp during the cooking process. Recipe slightly adapted from Paula Deen.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/8 of the shrimp | Calories: 503kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 292mg | Sodium: 945mg | Potassium: 203mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 106IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 241mg | Iron: 3mg