Mardi Gras Shrimp Po Boy (Printable)
Crispy fried shrimp on crusty baguette with lettuce, tomato, and a punchy remoulade sauce.
# What You'll Need:
→ Shrimp Preparation
01 - 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 teaspoon hot sauce
04 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 1/2 cup cornmeal
06 - 1 teaspoon paprika
07 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
08 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
11 - Vegetable oil for frying
→ Remoulade Sauce
12 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
13 - 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
14 - 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
15 - 2 teaspoons hot sauce
16 - 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
17 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
18 - 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
19 - 1 tablespoon chopped capers
20 - 1 garlic clove, minced
21 - Salt and black pepper to taste
→ Sandwich Assembly
22 - 4 crusty French baguette rolls, split
23 - 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
24 - 2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
25 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
26 - Dill pickle slices
# How To Make:
01 - Whisk buttermilk and hot sauce in a bowl. Add shrimp and toss to coat evenly. Let marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature.
02 - Combine flour, cornmeal, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a shallow dish. Mix thoroughly to distribute spices evenly.
03 - Pour vegetable oil to a depth of 2 inches in a heavy skillet. Heat to 350°F, maintaining temperature throughout frying.
04 - Lift shrimp from marinade, allowing excess liquid to drip off. Dredge each piece in the flour mixture, pressing gently to adhere coating.
05 - Fry shrimp in batches for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to paper towels to drain excess oil.
06 - Combine mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, horseradish, hot sauce, paprika, lemon juice, parsley, capers, and minced garlic in a bowl. Whisk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Spread remoulade sauce generously on both sides of each baguette. Layer with lettuce, tomato slices, red onion, and fried shrimp. Add pickle slices if desired.
08 - Serve immediately while shrimp remains hot and coating stays crisp.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The shrimp stay impossibly crispy thanks to a buttermilk soak and cornmeal crust that actually holds up
- That homemade remoulade will become your new favorite sandwich sauce
- Everything comes together in under an hour but tastes like you spent all day on it
02 -
- Crowding the pan drops the oil temperature and makes soggy shrimp, so work in batches
- Letting the coated shrimp sit for a minute before frying helps the coating adhere better
- The remoulade actually gets better after an hour in the fridge, make it first if you can
03 -
- Pat your shrimp completely dry before the buttermilk soak for better coating adhesion
- Let fried shrimp drain on a wire rack over paper towels instead of directly on paper towels