If you've been to New Orleans and you've feasted on fresh oysters, gumbo, Jambalaya, and crawfish etouffee, then I say, "Well done, good sir (or madam)!" Hopefully, you also took the time to sample a shrimp po' boy! "What's a shrimp po' boy," you ask? Shame on you... A shrimp po' boy is only the greatest un-sung hero sandwich to come out of the Louisiana bayou! Sadly, the further North you are when you order one, the more bland it becomes.
To re-create an authentic, spicy, shrimp po' boy you need fresh shrimp, good homemade chili powder, gumption, and an ice-cold beer! Let's get started!
You will need:
Start by thawing out, cleaning, and peeling your shrimp. I doubled the recipe and made two pounds, so I had about 40 large shrimp in my bowl. Rinse them and drain the water.
Combine your paprika, chili powder, creole or seasoning salt, and garlic powder together in a bowl. Use a fork to stir until well combined. Keep your snoot away from the bowl, since good fresh chili powder can mace you a little bit!
Dump the whole load of spices onto your shrimp. Stir and mix it all together. It should seem like a LOT of spices. It is! Your shrimp should like like they just climbed out from under a red sandy beach. Shrimp are tough, they can take it.
When they're completely covered with what seems like 2 or 3 coats of spicy goodness, transfer them to a zip-top bag and park them in the fridge for a few hours.
Meanwhile, mix the flour and cornmeal together in a bowl and set it aside. Mix the eggs and milk together well, and set it next to the flour. You're setting up a classic fry-station! If you're a fan of this blog and you are thinking, "Whoa, Ken NEVER deep-fries anything," then you're almost right. I rarely do. An honest shrimp po' boy is worth the calories, the mess, and the lingering smell it leaves in your kitchen. That should tell you something!
Working in batches of 3-5, drop your chili-coated shrimp into the milk mixture, then the flour/meal mixture and coat them well.
When your basket has 5 shrimp in it, drop them into a 350 degree oil bath. I used canola oil, just because it fries well, but peanut oil is a fantastic option too, if you don't mind the expense.
Let them cook for two minutes. Shrimp cook very quickly so don't leave them in longer than that!
Dump the shrimp onto a wire rack with some paper towels under it to soak up the grease. You want them to drain and cool a little bit. Notice than they are a shade darker than "golden brown." That's the chili powder doing it's thing! They should be a redish colored golden brown!
When the shrimp are cooked and cooling, it's time to get ready to build your sandwich! I split the hoagie roll in half and toasted the inside with some butter. Just lay it face down in a pan with some melted butter in it, and let it toast for a minute or two! Then, layer a healthy amount of mayo on the bottom (by "healthy," I mean "a lot," not "dietarily" healthy), add the sliced tomatoes, and then pile on as many shrimp as you can! On the other side, heap on your salad/slaw. Fold it in half, take a deep breath, squish it down a little, and DIG IN! I know, I know... it's amazing, right?
To re-create an authentic, spicy, shrimp po' boy you need fresh shrimp, good homemade chili powder, gumption, and an ice-cold beer! Let's get started!
You will need:
- 1 lb fresh raw/uncooked shrimp, 20-25 size works very well
- 2 Heaping Tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 Heaping Tbsp homemade chili powder
- 1 Tbsp creole seasoning or Seasoning salt
- 1 Heaping Tbsp garlic powder
- 1 Cup Flour
- 3/4 Cup Yellow Corn Meal
- 2 Large eggs
- 2 Cups Whole Milk
- Hoagie Rolls
- Fresh tomato (sliced)
- Mayonaise
- Your favorite salad, lightly dressed and sliced thinly
