Louisiana Drunken Shrimp Recipe

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Y'all, let me tell you something about living here in Louisiana - we don't mess around when it comes to seafood. Growing up in this state, I learned real quick that fresh shrimp isn't just food, it's basically a religion.

And when you combine that beautiful Gulf shrimp with a little beer and butter? Well, that's when magic happens.

This drunken shrimp recipe is one of my absolute favorites for a weeknight dinner or when I've got friends coming over.

It's got that perfect Louisiana kick, comes together in about 20 minutes, and the sauce is so good you'll be fighting over who gets to sop it up with bread. Trust me on this one.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4

Let's Get Right To It...

Ingredients

For the Shrimp:

• 1½ pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails on or off, your choice)

• 2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning

• Salt and black pepper to taste

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 3 tablespoons butter

For the Sauce:

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 cup beer (I like using a light lager, but use what you've got)

• ½ cup chicken stock

• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tablespoon hot sauce (more if you like it spicy like I do)

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• ½ cup heavy cream

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

• Fresh parsley or green onions for garnish

For Serving:

• Crusty French bread (this is non-negotiable - you need something to soak up that sauce!)

Directions

1. Season your shrimp. In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with Old Bay seasoning, a good pinch of salt, and some black pepper. Set them aside while you get everything else ready.

2. Get that skillet hot. Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. You want it nice and hot.

3. Sear the shrimp. Add your seasoned shrimp to the hot skillet in a single layer. Cook them for about 1-2 minutes per side until they just start turning pink. Don't cook them all the way through - they'll finish in the sauce. Remove them from the pan and set aside.

4. Build that flavor base. Turn the heat down to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet. Toss in your minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 30 seconds until that garlic smells amazing, but don't let it burn!

5. Time to get them drunk! Pour in the beer and let it bubble up. This is the fun part. Let it cook for about 3-4 minutes to reduce down a bit and cook off some of that alcohol.

6. Add the rest of the liquids. Stir in the chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and lemon juice. Whisk in that tomato paste until it's all smooth. Bring everything to a simmer.

7. Make it creamy. Pour in the heavy cream and whisk it all together. Let this simmer for about 3-4 minutes until it thickens up into a beautiful, glossy sauce. Taste it and add more salt if needed.

8. Bring it home. Add your shrimp back into the skillet and toss them around in that gorgeous sauce. Let them cook for another 2-3 minutes until they're cooked through and have soaked up all those flavors.

9. Serve it up! Dish this into bowls, sprinkle with fresh parsley or green onions, and serve with plenty of that crusty French bread on the side.

My Notes

Here in Louisiana, we know our seafood, and let me tell you - the fresher the shrimp, the better this dish is gonna be. If you can get to a seafood market and grab some Gulf shrimp, do it. But frozen works just fine too, just make sure you thaw them completely and pat them dry.

Don't skip the bread situation. Seriously. That sauce is liquid gold and you're gonna want to get every last drop of it. I usually grab a fresh baguette from the bakery, warm it up in the oven, and let folks tear into it.

If you want to make this a full meal, serve it over some creamy grits or white rice. My family loves it with rice because, well, we're Louisiana people and rice goes with everything.

And hey, if you're not into spicy, just dial back the hot sauce and red pepper flakes. But if you're like me and you like a little heat, feel free to add extra. We're not shy about our spices down here!

This recipe serves about 4 people, but I'm gonna be honest with you - when it's just me and my husband, we eat the whole batch ourselves. No shame in that game.