New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp — The 1954 Pascal's Manale Italian-Creole Cast-Iron Dish (No Barbecue Required)

Overview

New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp is a legendary Italian-Creole dish created at Pascal's Manale in 1954, despite its name, it requires no actual barbecue. Instead, it features head-on Gulf shrimp cooked in a cast-iron skillet and finished with a rich, peppery, butter-mounted pan sauce, best enjoyed with Leidenheimer French bread.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds 16/20 count head-on, shell-on Gulf shrimp
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 cup Abita Amber beer
• 1/4 cup Lea & Perrins Worcestershire
• 2 tablespoons coarse-cracked black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
• 1 cup (227 grams) cold, cubed unsalted butter
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1 whole sliced lemon
• 1 teaspoon Crystal Hot Sauce
• Leidenheimer French bread (for serving)
• Abita Amber beer (for serving)

Instructions

1. Let shrimp come to room temperature for 30 minutes and pat them dry.
2. Preheat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet for 3 minutes until screaming hot.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the hot skillet.
4. Sear shrimp in the skillet for 2 minutes on one side, flip, and sear for 90 seconds on the other side, ensuring not to crowd the pan to achieve good color.
5. Remove seared shrimp from the pan and set aside.
6. Add 8 cloves of minced garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds.
7. Deglaze the pan by adding 1/4 cup Abita Amber beer and 1/4 cup Lea & Perrins Worcestershire, scraping the bottom to loosen browned bits.
8. Season this reduction with 2 tablespoons of coarse-cracked black pepper and 1 tablespoon of Creole seasoning.
9. Return the shrimp to the pan for 1 minute.
10. Kill the heat completely and remove the pan from the fire.
11. Add 1 cup (227 grams) of cold, cubed unsalted butter, one piece at a time, swishing the pan continuously until it melts and forms a creamy sauce.
12. Finish the sauce by stirring in the juice of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon of Crystal Hot Sauce, and a whole sliced lemon.
13. Serve immediately directly from the cast-iron skillet with Leidenheimer French bread and cold Abita Amber beer.

In this video

• The dish originated in 1954 at Pascal's Manale restaurant on Napoleon Avenue, created by chef Jake Radosta for a customer named Vincent Sutro.
• New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp is famously made entirely in a cast-iron skillet, featuring a peppery, butter-rich pan sauce with no smoker, grill, or barbecue sauce required.
• Authentic preparation demands two pounds of 16/20 count, head-on, shell-on Gulf shrimp because their heads hold all the fat and flavor.
• Real Leidenheimer French bread, founded in 1896, is non-negotiable for sopping up the sauce due to its unique crispy crust and absorbent interior.
• Specific ingredients like Crystal Hot Sauce (not Tabasco) for its vinegar profile and Lea & Perrins Worcestershire are crucial for the dish's identity.
• The cooking technique involves bringing shrimp to room temperature, patting them dry, and searing them hard in a screaming hot 12-inch cast-iron skillet.
• The intense pan sauce flavor comes from deglazing the fond with a quarter cup of Abita Amber beer and a quarter cup of Worcestershire, seasoned with black pepper and Creole seasoning.
• The magic happens when one cup (227 grams) of cold, cubed unsalted butter is added one piece at a time to the pan *off* the heat, swishing until it melts into a creamy sauce.
• The dish is finished with the juice of one lemon, one tablespoon of fresh thyme, one teaspoon of Crystal Hot Sauce, and a whole sliced lemon.
• Serving the dish is a cultural ritual where the hot cast-iron skillet is brought directly to the table, and diners use their hands to peel shrimp and sop the sauce with bread.

Frequently asked questions

What is New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp?

New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp is an iconic Italian-Creole dish from Pascal's Manale, made in a cast-iron skillet with a peppery, butter-rich pan sauce. Despite its name, it contains no actual barbecue.

What kind of shrimp should I use for authentic New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp?

You must use two pounds of 16/20 count, head-on, shell-on Gulf shrimp, as the heads contain essential fat and flavor for the dish.

Why is Leidenheimer French bread so important for this dish?

Leidenheimer French bread is crucial for its unique crispy crust and absorbent interior, making it ideal for soaking up every last drop of the butter-rich pan sauce.

How is the creamy butter sauce made for New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp?

The creamy sauce is created by adding one cup (227 grams) of cold, cubed unsalted butter, one piece at a time, to the pan *off* the heat, swishing until it melts and emulsifies into a smooth consistency.

What are the non-negotiable ingredients for an authentic New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp dish?

The non-negotiable ingredients include head-on, shell-on Gulf shrimp, Leidenheimer French bread, Crystal Hot Sauce for its specific vinegar profile, and Lea & Perrins Worcestershire.