Deep Fried Shrimp

I love shrimp but always steam it because it's an easy peasy recipe for me but tonight I thought I would try deep frying it instead. I found the recipe I used in my Betty Crocker 1980's cookbook and thought I would give it a try.

I learned a few tips while making this so follow along and the recipe is at the end.

I had one pound fresh shrimp with shells on so the first thing I did was take the shells off. Trick to this is to pinch the tail until that comes off and then take the rest of the shell off.

The recipe says to get your oil heated as you are prepping. I was using a cast iron Dutch oven and discovered the oil got too hot way before I was done prepping the shrimp.

I found that the flour mixture that is used first in the recipe can be combined in a bowl and poured over the shrimp and then the flour mixture bowl can be used again at the end to put the fried shrimp in once you fried them.

Sorry the pictures blurred. I usually take multiple pictures to ensure a good one but didn't this time. Yikes!

I found it's easiest to put only a few shrimp in the egg mixture at a time and then the key to not having the bread crumbs clump on the shrimp is to shake the excess egg off before dredging the shrimp in the breadcrumbs.

I also found using a spoon to spoon the breadcrumbs over the shrimp was a lot easier then trying to move them around in the breadcrumbs.

Finally, make sure to use a thermometer that reaches at least 375 degrees. I couldn't find mine for the first batch and they were a little on the overdone side. I also discovered that my shrimp cooked in less than 2 minutes like the recipe calls for. That could be because of using the cast iron Dutch oven and because I only cooked small batches at a time. You'll know they're done when they break apart from the clump that they are in when you first submerge them and float to the top. You'll be able to see the brownness of the breadcrumbs.

Here is the recipe...

Deep Fried Shrimp

Vegetable oil for frying
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper or to taste
1 pound shelled shrimp
2 eggs, beaten (the recipe says slightly beaten but I think it's better to beat them fully.)
1 cup dry bread crumbs (I used Progresso parmesan breadcrumbs.)

Get oil ready in deep fryer or dutch oven. Turn temperature on low to begin. Once shrimp are ready to fry, get oil temperature up to 375 degrees F.

Shell shrimp.

Mix flour, salt and pepper. Coat shrimp with flour mixture; dip into beaten eggs, and then coat with bread crumbs. 

Fry until golden brown around 2 minutes or less.

*Recipe from the Betty Crocker Cookbook revised edition 1989.

Thanks for stopping by and let me know if you try this recipe.