Shrimp Po' Boys Recipe (2024)

Why It Works

  • Dredging the shrimp in corn flour ensures a light, crunchy coating.
  • Letting the dredged shrimp rest in the refrigerator before frying helps prevent the coating from sloughing off after frying.

Given the choice of my last meal, I’ll be tucking into a fried shrimp po’boy, washed down with a Big Shot pineapple soda. To this native New Orleanian, there’s just nothing that tastes more like home. The city is lousy with po’ boy spots, and everyone has their favorite (mine is Parkway). But the good news? It’s still easy to get a great one no matter how far you are from the Crescent City.

As its unpretentious moniker suggests, the po’boy is a simple dish. But it’s the details that make it more than just any old sandwich. The classic flavor of a New Orleans shrimp po’boy relies on the sweet salinity of meaty Gulf shrimp offset by the delicate earthiness of corn flour. A light but even coating of seasoned corn flour is key here. You want just enough to create a whisper-light crust, ensuring that the golden exterior enhances rather than competes with the texture and flavor of the shrimp. Anything thicker and you’re moving into tempura territory.

We use chewy-crisp French bread to encase the shrimp. And, of course, the po’boy must be “dressed” with a generous smear of mayo, a layer of thinly sliced tomatoes, and a helping of shredded lettuce. You can doctor it up with a little Creole mustard or a bit of zesty rémoulade sauce, but I prefer nothing more than a few dashes of Crystal hot sauce to gild the golden fried lily.

If you’re really craving a po’boy, it’s worth it to seek out the right ingredients. Here’s what I recommend.

Soft, Squishable French Bread

The recipe calls for French bread. Of course, there are many types of bread that the French customarily bake, but we’re talking about the 10- or 20-inch loaves with a light but crisp crust and an airy crumb. Usually they’re slightly wider than a French baguette and more “squishable,” to use a technical term. Vietnamese baguettes used for banh mi sandwiches are a great alternative. Otherwise, use regular sub or hoagie rolls. If the interior of the bread is very dense, scoop most of it out and discard it before building your po' boys.

Gulf Shrimp, Please

For the best (IMHO) flavor, opt for Gulf shrimp if your local grocer or fishmonger offers them. Gulf shrimp have a unique sweet-iodine flavor and a meaty texture, which lends that characteristic seafaring umami. Or, choose brown shrimp in medium to medium-large size. Avoid small shrimp if you can. Though popcorn shrimp po’boys are a thing, the tiny crustaceans are more onerous to dredge and trickier to fry.

Seasoned Corn Flour for Dredging

Rather than dredging in wheat flour or a combination of wheat flour in cornmeal, in keeping with New Orleans tradition, we call for dipping shrimp in a combination of corn flour and Creole seasoning. Corn flour is very finely ground flour milled from whole corn kernels, while cornmeal is coarser-grained. Using this finer flour ensures that even, light coating you’re going for.

Condiments and Toppings NOLA-Style

As mentioned above, the traditional toppings for a shrimp po’ boy are mayo, tomato, and iceberg lettuce. Some people add pickles, and a dash of hot sauce is always allowed.

Once you’ve assembled your perfect po’ boy, give over to the experience. Yes, shrimp will fall out, mayo will ooze all over your hands, and the bread’s crust will shatter into crumbs that cover you from shirt to lap. When that happens, just make sure you have the final essential ingredient within reach: a great big pile of napkins. In the words of my people: Yeah you rite.

Not a fan of shrimp? Try making one of our classic, equally-delicious oyster or fish po' boys instead.

Feb 2019

This recipe was rewritten by Jolène M. Bouchon in March, 2024. The rémoulade was developed by Sasha Marx.

Recipe Details

Shrimp Po' Boys

Prep10 mins

Cook20 mins

Active30 mins

Chilling Time15 mins

Total45 mins

Serves4 servings

Ingredients

For the Shrimp:

  • 2 large eggs

  • cup buttermilk

  • 2 cups corn flour (see notes)

  • 2 tablespoons (10g)homemadeor store-bought Creole seasoning

  • 1 1/2 pounds (675g) medium (preferably Gulf) shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed

  • 2 quarts (1900ml) vegetable oil, for frying

  • Kosher salt

  • Black pepper

For Serving:

  • French bread, cut into 4 10-inch sections (or 4 sub-style rolls) sliced lengthwise and lightly toasted

  • 1 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded

  • 2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced

  • 3/4 cup dill pickle chips (optional)

  • Mayonnaise (suggested) or rémoulade (recipe below, if desired)

  • Optional: Creole mustard, tartar sauce, or hot sauce, such as Tabasco or Crystal

For the Rémoulade (Optional):

  • 3/4 cup (175ml) mayonnaise

  • 1/4 cup (45g) minced dill pickles

  • 2 tablespoons (10g) drained prepared horseradish

  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) hot sauce

  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) Dijon mustard

  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) fresh lemon juice

  • 1 garlic clove, minced

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

  1. For the Shrimp: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk. Add the shrimp, and let them soak for 5 minutes. While the shrimp soak, in a medium bowl or shallow baking dish, whisk together corn flour and Creole seasoning. Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet.

  2. Pat shrimp dry with a napkin or paper towel. Working in batches, dredge the shrimp in the seasoned corn flour, shake off excess, and transfer to prepared wire rack. Repeat dredging process with remaining shrimp. Refrigerate shrimp for 15 minutes.

  3. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat to 375°F (190°C). Carefully add half the shrimp to the oil and cook, stirring occasionally with a spider skimmer, until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer cooked shrimp to second wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt to taste. Repeat with remaining shrimp.

  4. For Serving: Open rolls, and spread cut sides with mayonnaise and/or your condiments of choice. Divide the remaining ingredients evenly among the rolls, placing tomatoes and pickles against top of roll, followed by lettuce. Pile a generous helping of shrimp on the bottom half. Smush together, serve immediately, and enjoy.

  5. For the Rémoulade, If Making: In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, minced pickles, horseradish, hot sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and garlic until thoroughly combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Special Equipment

Rimmed baking sheet, Wire rack, Large Dutch oven, Instant-read thermometer

Notes

Corn flour is very finely ground flour milled from whole corn kernels. Bob’s Red Mill offers corn flour. Or, in a pinch, you can also use masa harina.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Rémoulade can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Po' boys are best enjoyed right away.

This Recipe Appears In

  • How to Make the Best Seafood Po' Boys
Shrimp Po' Boys Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is po-boy sauce made of? ›

What's in po' boy sauce? This po'boy sauce is based on a French-Cajun classic, remoulade. It's super easy to make—just spice up your favorite mayonnaise with some Creole seasoning and mustard, along with capers, hot sauce, horseradish, lemon, garlic, and a splash of Worcestershire sauce.

Does shrimp have to be fried for a po-boy? ›

Authentic New Orleans Shrimp Po Boys

These buttery shrimp sandwiches are the perfect weekend lunch that remind me of my favorite authentic New Orleans po boy. Yes, most shrimp po boy sandwiches are fried, but they definitely don't have to be. We had plenty that were not fried.

What is on a traditional po-boy? ›

This Louisiana staple varies depending on the restaurant and town, but typically, a classic poboy includes toasted French bread stuffed with some type of fried meat, and the sandwich is “dressed” with tomatoes, romaine lettuce, pickles, mayonnaise and a generous spread of hot sauce for a Creole “kick.”

What is the best bread for po boys? ›

Unless you're lucky enough to get po'boy bread from New Orleans, the best bread to use should be light and fluffy inside with a thin, crispy crust on the outside—a French baguette, French bread rolls, or hoagies rolls are common swaps.

What is remoulade made of? ›

Remoulade is a traditional French sauce, originally made with ingredients such as mayonnaise, herbs, capers, pickles, and perhaps some anchovy oil or horseradish. French cuisine has a lot of influence on Louisiana cuisine, and the Cajuns and Creoles have a lot of influence on Louisiana cuisine.

Is Big Mac sauce remoulade? ›

This sauce might be more accurately called a riff on a remoulade — a tame version, to be sure — and one Houston chef used it exactly as that, topping an oyster po' boy in a video for the local McDonald's.

Is po-boy cajun or creole? ›

Crispy cajun fried shrimp are piled on a french baguette and topped with a creole inspired creamy remoulade sauce creating the most delicious and authentic po'boy you will ever taste outside of NOLA!

Why is it called a shrimp po boy? ›

According to historian Errol Laborde, the correct way to refer to the sandwich is “poor boy” because it was created by the Martin brothers after the streetcar strikers – those “poor boys.” But whether it's referred to as a poor boy, po' boy, po-boy, or po boy, what everyone can agree on is that the famous sandwich ...

What alcohol pairs with shrimp po boy? ›

A juicy Gruner Veltliner or Grüner Veltliner is perfect for a shrimp po'boy. Its green pepper and herb aromas reflect the sandwich's Cajun influence, while crisp acidity prevents heaviness. The peppery, vegetal qualities of Gruner Veltliner echo the kick of Creole spices and the brightness of sliced jalapeños.

What is the difference between a po-boy and a muffuletta? ›

Most po'boys consist of fried shrimp on a crusty hoagie-style bread although there are variations. Meanwhile, muffuletta sandwiches are made of sliced Italian cold cuts and cheese piled high onto a flat, sesame-crusted bread that the sandwich is named after.

What is the most traditional po-boy? ›

It traditionally consists of meat, which is usually roast beef, ham, or fried seafood such as shrimp, crawfish, fish, oysters, or crab. The meat is served in New Orleans French bread, known for its crisp crust and fluffy center.

What is a Cleveland Poboy? ›

The Polish Boy is a sausage sandwich native to Cleveland, Ohio. It consists of a link of kielbasa sausage placed in a bun, and covered with a layer of french fries, a layer of barbecue sauce and a layer of coleslaw.

What is served on a po-boy sandwich? ›

What is a po-boy sandwich? Piled with lettuce, tomato and pickles and filled with roast beef, fried shrimp, oysters–or whatever you choose–po-boys are stuffed and slathered with sauce or mayonnaise, and then served between two long pieces of French bread.

What is po-boy bread called? ›

But anyone who spends much time contemplating the character of the po-boy may ask why its loaf is so commonly called French bread in New Orleans. That's at the heart of a question one of our readers submitted for our @nolanews Louisiana Curious series.

What makes a po-boy different from a sandwich? ›

Chris' sister noted that the bread on a po-boy is not the same as other subs. The French bread is crusty, not soft like on the common sub sandwich. Chris noted that the meat is usually fried, which you won't find on many other sandwiches across the U.S.

Is zip sauce a Michigan thing? ›

Zip Sauce came to life in the 1940s in the kitchen of Lelli's Inn, an Italian restaurant in Detroit. The butter-based steak sauce became so popular among customers that word of it quickly spread, and soon copycat sauces were cropping up in neighboring restaurants.

What is the name of Guy Fieri's sauce? ›

Fieri's most famous ingredient is just your average blend of garlic, mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper. "I called it Donkey Sauce because you have to make fun of it.

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