Fried Shrimp (Easy)

4-6 servings servings Prep: 10 m Cook: 15 m Total: 25 m Beginner
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Fried Shrimp (Easy)
This easy fried shrimp recipe uses a simple ice-cold batter with Tony Chachere’s seasoning that creates an incredibly light and crispy coating. The secret is mixing crushed ice right into the flour batter and letting the shrimp marinate in the refrigerator—the longer they sit, the better they turn out when fried.

Ingredients

4-6 servings servings
  • 2 lbs shrimp (cleaned and deveined)
  • 1 tsp Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasonings
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup of crushed ice and water
  • Oil for frying

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Prepare the batter several hours before frying (or at least 30 minutes ahead). Put the flour, sugar, seasonings, and egg in a 2 quart bowl.
  2. Fill a 1 cup container with crushed ice and fill with water. Pour over flour mixture and mix well. When this is mixed, add the shrimp. The mixture should look like pancake batter consistency. Some ice chips may remain, but that’s okay. Put the mixture in the refrigerator.
  3. When you’re ready to fry the shrimp, heat oil in a large pot or deep fryer to 350-375°F. Using a fork or tongs, pick the shrimp up one by one and place in the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pot.
  4. Fry until the shrimp become golden brown and start to float, about 2-3 minutes per batch. Remove and drain on paper towels. Remember the longer the shrimp stay in the refrigerator the better they turn out—the cold batter creates that extra-crispy coating.
  5. Serve hot with tartar sauce, remoulade sauce, or cocktail sauce, alongside hush puppies and coleslaw.

Common Problems and Solutions

Q: Why is my batter too thick or too thin?

A: The batter should be pancake-batter consistency. If it's too thick, add a bit more ice water. If it's too thin, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until you reach the right consistency.

Q: Can I fry the shrimp immediately instead of refrigerating?

A: You can, but the recipe works best when the shrimp marinate in the cold batter for at least 30 minutes or several hours. The cold batter hitting the hot oil is what creates that extra-crispy texture.

Q: What temperature should the oil be?

A: Keep the oil between 350-375°F. If you don't have a thermometer, test with a small drop of batter—it should sizzle immediately and float to the top.

Tips and Techniques

Don’t overcrowd the pot when frying—adding too many shrimp at once will drop the oil temperature and make them greasy instead of crispy. Fry in small batches and let the oil come back to temperature between batches.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasonings: Slap Ya Mama or other Cajun seasoning blend
  • crushed ice and water: Very cold water from the refrigerator

Equipment Needed

  • Large pot or deep fryer
  • Candy or deep-fry thermometer
  • Tongs or slotted spoon
  • Paper towels for draining
  • 2-quart mixing bowl

Historical Context

The ice-batter method is a time-tested Louisiana technique for ultra-crispy fried seafood. The cold temperature contrast creates steam pockets in the coating, resulting in a lighter, less oily texture than room-temperature batters.