Deep Fried Shrimp

Learn how to make deep fried shrimp that’s light, crispy and guaranteed to disappear in minutes. It’s simple if you do it this way.

What’s not to love about a perfectly deep-fried shrimp? The crispy, golden exterior gives way to a tender, sweet morsel. You can serve them as an appetizer along with a classic Cocktail Sauce or as a satisfying dinner with an easy rice pilaf and steamed vegetables.

If you have visited the site the before, you know that I have an affinity for shrimp. I try to keep a bag of shrimp in the freezer for quick meals. Using this method to thaw them means I don’t even have to remember to pull them out in the morning.

What Do I Need To Deep Fry Shrimp?

Some notes before we get started:

Panko

Panko is a Japanese-style breadcrumb that is made from a special crustless white bread. It is what makes these deep-fried shrimp so light and crispy. If at all possible, don’t substitute.

Equipment

Deep, Heavy Pot Choose a pot that is 4 – 6 quarts. An enameled cast iron Dutch oven is a great option. Cast iron holds heat, which is important when deep frying – it helps to reduce excess oil absorption – and the light color of the enamel allows you to see how the food is cooking. The pot should hold 3-inches of oil with another 3-inches of space above the oil to avoid dangerous boil-overs.

Thermometer Determining when to put the food into the hot oil is critical. A thermometer that clips on to the side of the pot and accurately registers the temperature is invaluable.

Spider strainer (or slotted spoon) A spider strainer or slotted spoon are helpful when removing the shrimp from the hot oil. I prefer the spider to a slotted spoon because the design allows more oil to drain back into the pot when removing the shrimp.

Cooling rack and baking sheet (not necessary but nice) A cooling rack placed on a baking sheet keep fried foods from sitting in excess oil. You can also use a towel-lined plate.

Deep Fryer (not required but nice) I recently purchased this Hamilton Beach Deep Fryer and love it. It is designed for easy cleanup and the heating element is submersed in the oil, which means that the oil comes back up to temp quickly after the food is added. This helps to reduce excess absorption of oil.

Oil

It’s important to use an oil that has a smoke point of 400˚F or above and has a neutral flavor. I like to use peanut oil, but you could also use grapeseed oil or canola oil as a more economical choice.

Now on to the fun part.

How To Deep Fry Shrimp

Breading

1. Arrange the breading ingredients from left to right in the following order, flour, egg wash, panko bread crumbs.
2. Using your left hand (this is your dry hand) put the shrimp in the flour and turn over to coat both sides, move to the egg wash.
3. Using your right hand (this is your wet hand) turn over to coat, and move to the panko breadcrumbs.
4. Using your dry hand (your left hand) turn over to coat both sides and move to a baking sheet.
5. Repeat process until all shrimp have been breaded.

Frying

1. Heat the oil to 350˚F.
2. Fry in batches of about 6 shrimp per batch. Shrimp cook quickly, 1 – 2 minutes so keep an eye on them. You want them to be a golden brown. Note: If you overcrowd, the temperature of the oil will fall more quickly and the food will absorb more oil – yuck!
3. After each batch has been removed, allow the oil to come back up to 350˚F before adding the next batch.
4. Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce. If you need some suggestions, here are a few: English Cocktail Sauce and Classic Cocktail Sauce.

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