New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp — The 1954 Pascal's Manale Italian-Creole Cast-Iron Dish (No Barbecue Required)

Overview

New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp is an iconic Italian-Creole dish created in 1954 at Pascal's Manale, cooked entirely in a cast-iron skillet without actual barbecue. It features a peppery, butter-rich pan sauce with specific, non-negotiable ingredients like head-on Gulf shrimp and Leidenheimer French bread, emphasizing a precise cooking technique.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds 16/20 count head-on, shell-on Gulf shrimp
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 cup Abita Amber beer
• 1/4 cup Lea & Perrins Worcestershire
• 2 tablespoons coarse-cracked black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
• 1 cup (227 grams) cold, cubed unsalted butter
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1 whole sliced lemon
• 1 teaspoon Crystal Hot Sauce
• Leidenheimer French bread (for serving)
• Cold Abita Amber beer (for serving)

Instructions

1. Let shrimp get to room temperature for 30 minutes and pat them dry.
2. Preheat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet for 3 minutes until screaming hot.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the hot skillet.
4. Sear the shrimp hard for 2 minutes on one side, then flip them and sear for 90 seconds on the other side. Do not crowd the pan.
5. Pull the seared shrimp out and set them aside.
6. Add 8 cloves of minced garlic to the pan and cook for just 30 seconds.
7. Deglaze the pan by adding 1/4 cup of Abita Amber beer and 1/4 cup of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire, scraping the bottom of the pan.
8. Season this reduction with 2 tablespoons of coarse-cracked black pepper and 1 tablespoon of Creole seasoning.
9. Return the shrimp to the pan for 1 minute.
10. Kill the heat and take the skillet off the fire completely.
11. Add 1 cup (227 grams) of cold, cubed unsalted butter one piece at a time, swishing the pan until it melts and makes a creamy sauce.
12. Finish the dish with the juice of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme, 1 whole sliced lemon, and 1 teaspoon of Crystal Hot Sauce.
13. Serve immediately with Leidenheimer French bread and a cold Abita Amber beer.

In this video

• New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp was created in 1954 by Chef Jake Radosta at Pascal's Manale restaurant for a customer named Vincent Sutro.
• The dish is famously made entirely in a cast-iron skillet, featuring a peppery, butter-rich pan sauce rather than actual barbecue.
• The recipe specifically calls for 2 pounds of 16/20 count, head-on, shell-on Gulf shrimp because the heads hold essential fat and flavor.
• Leidenheimer French bread is the non-negotiable choice for soaking up the sauce due to its unique crispy crust and absorbent interior.
• Crystal Hot Sauce and Lea & Perrins Worcestershire are mandatory ingredients, chosen for their specific flavor profiles.
• Shrimp should be brought to room temperature for 30 minutes and patted dry before searing in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet preheated for 3 minutes.
• After searing shrimp (2 minutes on one side, 90 seconds on the other) and removing them, 8 cloves of minced garlic are cooked for just 30 seconds to build flavor.
• The pan is deglazed with 1/4 cup of Abita Amber beer and 1/4 cup of Worcestershire, then seasoned with 2 tablespoons of coarse-cracked black pepper and 1 tablespoon of Creole seasoning.
• Cold, cubed unsalted butter (1 cup or 227 grams) must be added one piece at a time entirely off the heat, swishing the pan until it melts into a creamy sauce.
• The dish is finished with the juice of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme, a whole sliced lemon, and 1 teaspoon of Crystal Hot Sauce, and is served directly in the skillet for a communal, hands-on experience.

Frequently asked questions

What is New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp?

New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp is an iconic Italian-Creole dish, created in 1954, that is cooked entirely in a cast-iron skillet. It's not actual barbecue but a butter-rich pan sauce made with specific ingredients.

What kind of shrimp are used in New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp?

The authentic recipe calls for 2 pounds of 16/20 count, head-on, shell-on Gulf shrimp. The heads are crucial for holding fat and flavor.

What bread is best for New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp?

Leidenheimer French bread is considered non-negotiable for this dish. Its unique crispy crust and absorbent interior are perfect for sopping up the rich pan sauce.

Is barbecue sauce used in New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp?

No, despite the name, New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp does not use barbecue sauce. It features a peppery, butter-rich pan sauce made from specific ingredients and a precise cooking technique.

What is the secret to the sauce in New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp?

The secret involves deglazing the pan after searing shrimp, then mounting 1 cup (227 grams) of cold, cubed unsalted butter into the sauce one piece at a time, entirely off the heat.