Fried Jumbo Shrimp Recipe
hand-battered jumbo shrimp served with fries and hush puppies | 1830 cal
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Shrimp and Batter
Fries
Hush Puppies
Finishing & Sauce
Frying Oil
Method
Shrimp and Batter
Prepare shrimp
Rinse the peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp under cold water and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Leave tails on or off per preference; patting dry ensures a crisp batter.
Make batter
In a medium bowl whisk together 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp paprika and 1/2 tsp garlic powder. If using the egg, beat it lightly and stir into the dry mix. Gradually pour in 1 cup cold seltzer (or club soda) while whisking until a smooth, slightly thick batter forms—like heavy cream. Keep the batter cold (place bowl over an ice bath briefly) to maximize crispiness.
Dredge and batter shrimp
Place the 1/2 cup extra all-purpose flour for dredging on a plate. Lightly coat each shrimp in the flour, shake off excess, then dip into the cold batter to fully coat. Transfer battered shrimp to a wire rack set near the fryer; do not stack them.
Frying Oil
Pour 6 cups vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer. Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). Use a thermometer to maintain temperature; oil that is too cool results in greasy food, too hot will burn the coating. If using a stovetop pot, leave at least 2–3 inches of headspace.
Fries
Prepare potatoes
Cut the russet potatoes into 1/4–1/2 inch fries and rinse in cold water until water runs clear to remove excess starch. Pat thoroughly dry with towels.
Finish fries
When oil reaches 375°F, fry the par-fried (or raw, if skipping par-fry) potato batches for 2–4 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove, drain on paper towels, and immediately season with 1 tsp fine salt.
Hush Puppies
Make batter
In a bowl whisk together 3/4 cup cornmeal, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt. Stir in 1/4 cup finely chopped onion. In a separate small bowl whisk 1 large egg into 1/2 cup buttermilk, then fold wet ingredients into dry until just combined; batter will be thick but spoonable. Rest 5 minutes.
Fry hush puppies
Heat 1–2 inches of frying oil (or use the same deep fryer oil maintained at 350°F/175°C). Using a small cookie scoop or spoon, drop tablespoon-sized mounds of batter into hot oil in small batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry 2–3 minutes, turning as needed, until deep golden brown and cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Keep warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven while finishing remaining batches.
Shrimp Frying & Finishing
Fry battered shrimp
With oil at 350°F (175°C), carefully add battered shrimp in small batches (4–6 at a time depending on pot size). Fry 2.5–3.5 minutes until the batter is golden brown and shrimp are opaque and cooked through. Do not overcrowd. Use a slotted spoon or spider to transfer shrimp to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain. Maintain oil temperature between batches.