New Orleans BBQ Shrimp

I was watching Man v Food last night and saw New Orleans BBQ shrimp for the first time. First off I have to say that Adam has a great job. Second why are they called BBQ shrimp when there is NO BBQ INVOLVED? Anyway the shrimp were sauteed in a compound butter. Anyone have a good recipe for the compound butter? It looked awesome. I'm starting to plan a surf and truf in my head with ribeyes cooked over the chimney and topped with worcestershire compound butter and these shrimp which appeared to be sauteed in copious amounts of butter. I'll have to make sure my emergency contacts are up to date.

Gerry, I caught that episode too and thought how great the dish looked great. I'm going to spend some time on google and see if I can find a recipe for the compound butter.

I too like the worchestershire butter. When I make it I double the worchestershire soooo gooooood.

NO barbeque shrimp are not usually sautéed in butter, they are tossed in melted butter, aromatics and spices and spread in a shallow pan and put in the oven to 'bake'. One can certainly sauté. The finish is slightly different. In a moderate oven with plenty of butter -- a requirement -- the shrimp both poach and roast in the butter. They are served with plenty of bread for dipping. The shrimp used are most often head-on; this allows for sucking the fat out of the head when the diner pulls it off. (An unpleasant image for some, but this is standard. It isn't required, of course, if head-on shrimp are not available.

Compound butter is whole butter mixed with flavorings -- spices, wine, juice(s), aromatics; any, some or all -- formed into a log, rolled and chilled. There is no need to do this for something like barbecue shrimp because it is necessary to melt the butter first. One can easily and simply combine the melted butter with the seasonings and aromatics right at the time of cooking.

Compound butter is essentially a sauce that is kept cold, and thus firm, so that it can be cut and placed on a hot item (steaks or fish right off the grill, e.g.) where it then melts at a moderate rate and is still melting (one hopes) at the time of service.

Compound butters are easily made. I often make 4-6 types at once, using, say, 5-8 pounds of butter. One allows the butter (use unsalted) to just soften, then, in my case, I divide the butter into 5-8 bowls, mix in my prepped ingredients into each, then stick the bowls in the fridge to firm a little. After this happens I remove the butters one at a time, fashioning a 2-inch log out of each butter on parchment paper, rolling the paper around the log and twisting the ends. These then get wrapped in plasic and frozen or fridge. Voilà -- instant sauce at the ready for steaks, grilled or roasted salmon, whatever.

Btw, for the best compound butter using Worcestershire, use Worcestershire powder instead of liquid. Better mixing and better flavor.

Thanks for the advice Kevin, its always greatly appreciated. That is the exact reason why I come here first with cooking questions. I googled bbq shrimp and found this:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">This dish has nothing to do with a barbecue pit or barbecuing. Why is it called "barbecued" shrimp? Beats the hell out of me. If you're really curious, ask someone at Pascal's Manale Restaurant on Napoleon Avenue in New Orleans; it's where the dish was created. Me, I don't care. This dish is so good you can call it whatever you want. Just, um, don't have it every day. You'll know why immediately when you see the first ingredient listed:


2 pounds butter (Yes, you read right. Two pounds. Eight sticks. Don't whine. DO NOT use margarine! Real butter only.)
2 tablespoons Creole seasoning, to taste; OR
2 - 3 teaspoons cayenne pepper and 3 - 4 teaspoons black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped rosemary leaves
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
6 ounces good beer (microbrewery is preferable to mainstream swill)
5 - 10 cloves garlic, finely minced (or as much as you like)
1 medium onion, very finely minced
3 ribs celery, very finely minced
3 - 4 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 teaspoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
5 pounds shrimp, heads and shells on
[This feeds 8-10 people, BTW ... cut it in half if you need to.]
Melt a stick of the butter in a skillet. Saute the garlic, onions, celery, parsley, rosemary and seasoning blend for about 2 - 3 minutes.

Melt the rest of the butter. Add the beer (drink the rest of the bottle). Add the sauteed stuff, Worcestershire and lemon juice.

Drown the shrimp in the seasoned butter, using as many baking dishes as you need. Make sure the shrimp are more or less submerged. If they're not ... melt more butter and add to the sauce. (Aah, what the hell ... what's another stick or two when you're already up to these butterfat levels?) Bake in a 350 degree oven until the shrimp turn pink, about 15 minutes.

Serve in big bowls. Put in a handful of shrimp and ladle lots of the spicy butter sauce over it. Roll up your sleeves and wear a bib (DO NOT wear nice clothes when eating this!) Serve with plenty of French bread to sop up da sauce!

Try to avoid going to have your cholesterol and triglycerides taken for a few weeks afterward. Remember that this is a special treat. Don't eat this all the time if you want to live. But hey, every now and again ... LIVE! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

My God that sounds good!

There are many recipes, most much simpler (in terms of the ingredient list), but all can be very good. The version I mostly make is similar to this one but with less Worce. Often I sub wine for the beer, and the lemon gets served on the side.

Here's a different, simpler, stove top version:

~ 3 lb. fresh shrimp, head-on, 16-20 count/lb.
1/4 C. dry white wine
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 T. fresh-ground black pepper
2 t. paprika
1/4 t. salt
3/4 lb. butter, softened

1 loaf of French bread

Rinse shrimp, shake or pat dry to remove excess water. Place in large skillet over medium heat. Add wine, Worcestershire, lemon juice, and garlic. Bring to a light boil and saute until shrimp begin to turn pink in color.

Cover shrimp completely with a thin layer of black pepper. You can't use too much. Continue to cook for about two more minutes, then add the paprika and salt.

Reduce the heat to very low. Add butter, a few tablespoon-size chunks at a time, shaking the pan in the process. As the butter melts, add more, until all the butter is used. The result should be a creamy, orange-colored sauce.

Serve shrimp, along with a with a generous amount of sauce, in shallow bowls. Serve heated French bread alongside for soaking up sauce.

Yield: 4-6 servings.

http://chefsaraskitchen.blogsp...barbecue-shrimp.html

This link will give you the original Pascale's Manle restaurant recipe. Why they are called BBQ and not grilled, I don't know. I do know that living in N.O. for 26 years, that this is one of the great recipes to come out of that great food town. Pinch the tails and suck the heads. Oh yea.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Edwin Vickers:
http://chefsaraskitchen.blogsp...barbecue-shrimp.html

This link will give you the original Pascale's Manle restaurant recipe. Why they are called BBQ and not grilled, I don't know. I do know that living in N.O. for 26 years, that this is one of the great recipes to come out of that great food town. Pinch the tails and suck the heads. Oh yea. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I saw the show and that recipe you posted looks nowhere near close to me. They used a ton of butter in the BBQ shrimp not Olive oil, it was abvious when the chef scooped it into the pan. Dougs recipe looks way closer to me.

Yup. That ain't it at all. It's butter all the way. Having had it there at least a dozen times, often other's versions tend to fare better, and it's better made at home, in reality, imo, because one can be free of the food service ingredients that are so common. Vary the herb(s) (rosemary is common one finds basil -- or no herb at all), vary the liquids and amounts (beers, wines, Worce) and the aromatics; vary the approach (in the oven or on it or both) -- there are many versions. Stick with butter if the spirit of the dish is important to you.

Bryan, my God, that looks good. Did you follow Doug's recipe?

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Elsie D.:
Bryan, my God, that looks good. Did you follow Doug's recipe? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Elsie, it was very good. I took an asprin before I ate it just to help keep the butter flowing through my blood stream. I kind of went off the one Gerry posted, and did cook it in the oven for 15 min @ 350º. I only was making a lb. of 16-20 shrimp, and I just eyeballed everything. I did not use any beer or wine though. I'll def be making this again, and soon.

Man that looks great!!!!! I love shrimp and butter. I occasionally make Sicilian scampi that I got from a copy cat site that is similar to Olive Garden. It is served over bread. It does not have as much butter, but this recipe brings me back. Mmmmmmmm

Weldon