Crunchy Beer Batter Fried Shrimp

These are like little dollops of heaven. Try not to eat them all while you are cooking them.

Fried shrimp are like a memory gateway to my childhood. I’m not talking about popcorn shrimp. I’m talking crunchy breaded shrimp with the tails still attached to act as a handle for dunking them into cocktail sauce. And then eating the tail. With this recipe, I can get that feeling again. The hard part is not eating them as fast as I’m cooking them.

Software

·       2# shrimp, 21 to 25 count, peeled, deveined, tails on

·       12 oz. beer

·       2 c. all-purpose flour

·       1 T. baking powder

·       1 T. Old Bay seasoning (Cajun or something you like will work just fine)

·       2 c. seasoned panko

·       Vegetable oil for frying

You are also going to need two wire racks.

Method

1.       Pat dry the shrimp. Set aside.

2.       Mix together beer, flour, baking powder, and seasoning in a bowl. Your mix should be a bit sticky but not too thick.

3.       In a separate flat and shallow container, add the panko. Hint: if you want to sneak in some more spice, this is the place to do it.

4.       Using an electric skillet or a heavy pot, add vegetable oil to about 1 inch depth. Heat the oil to 350 degrees.

5.       Here is your set up: beer batter, wire rack, panko, wire rack, hot oil. You will be working in small batches.

6.       One at a time, grab a shrimp by the tail. Dunk it in the beer batter, shaking off as much excess as possible. Place on first wire rack. Repeat until you get enough for your cooking/pot. Let the shrimp rest there for about a minute.

7.       After the rest, grab a shrimp by the tail again and dredge through the panko. Place on the second wire rack. Repeat with the remaining shrimp in the small batch. Let them rest for another minute.

8.       One at a time, place the battered and breaded shrimp in the hot oil. When all the shrimp from the small batch are in the oil, set your timer for 1 minute. After a minute, flip over the shrimp and cook for 1 more minute.

9.       When done, remove the cooked shrimp to a plate covered with a paper towel. Rest for another minute before serving (burned mouths and tongues are not good).

10.   Serve with your favorite sauce (see below for suggestions)

11.   Enjoy.

Variants

The lighter your beer, the lighter your batter will be. But it will also not be as flavorful as using a darker beer. Guinness is my choice, but find one you like. For sauces, cocktail sauce is preferred (ketchup and horseradish sauce together will do the trick), but there are others. Stick with something tomato based, like Sriacha. There is something about that tomato acid that brings out the best in fried shrimp. Tarter sauce is also an option if that’s your thing.