Gulf Coast Shrimp: "The Best Shrimp I've Ever Had!"

Theophan

I've posted before about a Steve Raichlen recipe for Gulf Coast Shrimp and how it has become my #1 favorite grilled shrimp recipe.  I made it for my family at a family gathering, and my 19 y/o grandson's girlfriend proclaimed, "I think this is the best shrimp I've ever had!"  Everybody loved it.  I didn't take any pictures because we were at someone else's house and I cooked it on a gas grill, and not a very good one at that (it just never got quite as hot as I wanted it), but in case anybody's looking for a good shrimp recipe, I just wanted to pass along again that that recipe is really, really good.  The recipe is here.  Here's a picture from my previous post, cooked on my Egg, just so there's a picture.  

Photo Egg

Looks amazing...

Legume

Yeah, great pic.

CincyTiki

Yes please

GATraveller

Saved.  Thanks for sharing!!

buzd504

Pro tip - when boiling shrimp heads/shells for stock, put them on a cookie sheet and put them in the oven first until they turn pink (about 10 minutes @ 300).  Briefly roasting the shells first gives a nice added flavor to the stock.

A chef friend showed me that ages ago, and I've never looked back.

nolaegghead

buzd504 said:

Pro tip - when boiling shrimp heads/shells for stock, put them on a cookie sheet and put them in the oven first until they turn pink (about 10 minutes @ 300).  Briefly roasting the shells first gives a nice added flavor to the stock.

A chef friend showed me that ages ago, and I've never looked back.

We buy shrimp from the Westwego market all the time and make stock from the heads/shells.  That does elevate the flavor of the stock. 

https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3695/10573434104_7574b21dde_b.jpg

buzd504

nolaegghead said:

buzd504 said:

Pro tip - when boiling shrimp heads/shells for stock, put them on a cookie sheet and put them in the oven first until they turn pink (about 10 minutes @ 300).  Briefly roasting the shells first gives a nice added flavor to the stock.

A chef friend showed me that ages ago, and I've never looked back.

We buy shrimp from the Westwego market all the time and make stock from the heads/shells.  That does elevate the flavor of the stock. 

https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3695/10573434104_7574b21dde_b.jpg

"Westwego market".  You make it sound so fancy.  We've always called it the shrimp lot.

Unfortunately, my shellfish consumption has been curtailed by my wife's recent development of an allergy to shellfish.  I'm blaming the oil spill.

nolaegghead

buzd504 said:

nolaegghead said:

buzd504 said:

Pro tip - when boiling shrimp heads/shells for stock, put them on a cookie sheet and put them in the oven first until they turn pink (about 10 minutes @ 300).  Briefly roasting the shells first gives a nice added flavor to the stock.

A chef friend showed me that ages ago, and I've never looked back.

We buy shrimp from the Westwego market all the time and make stock from the heads/shells.  That does elevate the flavor of the stock. 

https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3695/10573434104_7574b21dde_b.jpg

"Westwego market".  You make it sound so fancy.  We've always called it the shrimp lot.

Unfortunately, my shellfish consumption has been curtailed by my wife's recent development of an allergy to shellfish.  I'm blaming the oil spill.

Yeah, it's the opposite of fancy.  I've taken my boat down that canal and there are burned out shrimp boats, unidentifiable dead things floating in the water.  But you can't beat the quality/prices for shrimp.  I think Hong Kong has better fish, though. 

Carolina Q

How do you know you're getting Gulf Coast shrimp? I read an article recently that seemed to imply that the only way to know is to be standing on the dock when the boat comes in. That more often than not, US sold shrimp is from halfway around the world. Even when it's labeled otherwise. True or false? No idea. 

But the pic sure looked mighty fine!

nolaegghead

Carolina Q said:

How do you know you're getting Gulf Coast shrimp? I read an article recently that seemed to imply that the only way to know is to be standing on the dock when the boat comes in. That more often than not, US sold shrimp is from halfway around the world. Even when it's labeled otherwise. True or false? No idea. 

But the pic sure looked mighty fine!

You don't always know.  Fraud in seafood is as rampant as false political claims on this forum. 

But in the case of the Westwego market, it is at a shrimp boat harbor with shrimp processing plants, so my guess is that the shrimp *probably* comes from the gulf.  Although they are often frozen and thawed, that's just because they freeze the shrimp on the boat when they catch them.  They're still delicious.

GrillSgt

Really looking forward to trying that recipe even though I had a helluva time making a copy. Had to take pics of it on my phone. Resize them and then email them to myself. 

YukonRon

Nobody but me like shrimp at my house. this is a meal for me when I am baching it.
Thank you for sharing this post. This recipe looks delicious.

GrillSgt

I don't know if this will help anyone. Not real sharp. Pics aren't either. 

gteb

Think we will try this one tonight! Thanks for the post

Photo Egg

YukonRon said:

Nobody but me like shrimp at my house. this is a meal for me when I am baching it.
Thank you for sharing this post. This recipe looks delicious.

I'm in the same boat with shrimp and almost any other kind of seafood...
Except the fife loves lobster...go figure.lol

Theophan

buzd504 said:

Pro tip - ...  Briefly roasting the shells first gives a nice added flavor to the stock.

Never heard of that -- will give it a try.  Thanks!

Carolina Q said:

How do you know you're getting Gulf Coast shrimp? ...

I've never had shrimp from the Gulf Coast -- it's just the name of the recipe.  I'm using Carolina wild-caught shrimp, like you are, I'd guess.  Or at least I'm taking the word for it of my local store that that's what they are.

YukonRon said:

Nobody but me like shrimp at my house...

Wow!  There's a lot of stuff my wife hates and I don't cook for that reason, but I thought EVERYBODY liked shrimp!  Interesting!

Thanks everybody for the kind words!

Gulfcoastguy

Most of us buy straight from the shrimp boats. We also buy them with the heads still on. You can tell if they are fresh if the heads are still firmly attached. We had a worker from Tennessee for a few years in the early 90's. He was breaking out and itching. I asked him what he had been eating and he had shrimp twice in 3 days. He was probably alright back in Tennessee where he had shrimp once every blue moon but they are a staple down here.Btw they start catching Gulf Coast Shrimp about 5 miles due south of me in the Gulf of Mexico.

SSQUAL612

Tried this last night...it was a big hit with the guest.  Thanks for posting sharing this @Theophan

Theophan

@SSQUAL612: Looks fantastic -- Great job!  Glad you liked it!

I have grilled shrimp several ways, but this still is by far my favorite.  I have some more recipes on my list to try, but gosh, this is one great recipe.  Some the recipes on my list come from the same book this recipe came from, so I'm hoping they'll be really good, too.

SSQUAL612

Had enough left over for a couple of skewers tonight..,sprinkled some DP Swamp Venom & squeezed some fresh lemon on em after pulling off grill. SWMBO loved the mod & I highly recommend trying.

Theophan

SSQUAL612 said:

... sprinkled some DP Swamp Venom & squeezed some fresh lemon on em after pulling off grill. SWMBO loved the mod & I highly recommend trying.

I love it so well the way it is that I hate to mess with it, but maybe if, like you, I make it again soon after making it, I'll try the variation then for a change of pace.  It sounds good!

SSQUAL612

Theophan said:

SSQUAL612 said:

... sprinkled some DP Swamp Venom & squeezed some fresh lemon on em after pulling off grill. SWMBO loved the mod & I highly recommend trying.

I love it so well the way it is that I hate to mess with it, but maybe if, like you, I make it again soon after making it, I'll try the variation then for a change of pace.  It sounds good!

Everyone loved em but a little sweet for me so the added heat & tartness made it more suited to my taste.