Southern Fried Shrimp: Crispy Cajun Buttermilk Coating

Want to see more of my creations?

Tell Google you want to see more of my creations in your search results.

Large tail-on Gulf shrimp are marinated in a buttermilk and hot sauce combination, coated in seasoned flour, then fried in peanut oil. The process includes a 30-minute marinade and a wire-rack hold before frying.

This recipe uses thawed shrimp and keeps the coating process in two stages: first the buttermilk and hot sauce, then the flour and Cajun seasoning. Once the shrimp are fried, they are served right away.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

The shrimp are prepared with a buttermilk and hot sauce marinade before going into the seasoned flour. That sequence gives each shrimp a consistent path from the marinade to the coating and then into the hot oil.

The recipe also calls for large, tail-on Gulf shrimp, making the shrimp themselves the focus from the first step through serving. The frying time is short, with the oil held at 350°F for 2-3 minutes.

Ingredients You'll Need

The edible ingredients are large tail-on Gulf shrimp, hot sauce, buttermilk, all-purpose flour, and Cajun seasoning. The shrimp are thawed before they are added to the buttermilk and hot sauce.

Buttermilk and hot sauce are mixed together for the marinade, while flour and Cajun seasoning are mixed separately for coating the shrimp. Peanut oil is used for frying.

How To Make It

Set up the two parts of the coating process before frying: the buttermilk and hot sauce for the shrimp, followed by the flour and Cajun seasoning. After the shrimp are coated, they are placed on a wire rack until it is time to fry.

Mix the buttermilk and hot sauce together. Add the thawed shrimp to this liquid and let the shrimp marinate for 30 minutes.

In a separate step, mix the all-purpose flour and Cajun seasoning. Take each shrimp from the buttermilk and hot sauce, then transfer it to the flour and seasoning.

Make sure every shrimp is well coated in the flour and Cajun seasoning. Shake off the excess coating, then place the shrimp on a wire rack until ready to fry.

Keeping the coated shrimp on the wire rack separates the coating step from the frying step. Continue until the shrimp are coated and resting on the rack.

Heat peanut oil to 350°F. Fry the shrimp for 2-3 minutes.

The recipe uses the same 350°F oil temperature and 2-3 minute frying time for the prepared shrimp. Once fried, serve and enjoy the shrimp.

Serving & Variations

Serve the shrimp after frying. The recipe finishes with the fried shrimp as the final dish.

The tails remain on the shrimp throughout the recipe, from the thawed shrimp used in the marinade through the fried shrimp served at the end. The flour and Cajun seasoning coating is applied before the shrimp go onto the wire rack and into the peanut oil.

Wrapping Up

This Southern fried shrimp recipe follows a direct sequence of marinating, coating, racking, and frying. Enjoy the shrimp once they are fried.

Recipe created by Big Ks Que for Trust Me Try It.

Southern Fried Shrimp: Crispy Cajun Buttermilk Coating

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 3 minutes minutes

Total Time: 13 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2-3 lb large tail-on Gulf shrimp
• 0.6 oz hot sauce
• 1-2 cup buttermilk
• 2 cup AP flour
• 1/4 cup Cajun seasoning

Instructions

• Mix buttermilk and hot sauce together.
• Add thawed shrimp and let marinate for 30 minutes.
• Mix flour and seasoning.
• Take shrimp from the wet mixture to the flour, make sure it is well coated, and shake off excess.
• Place shrimp on a wire rack until ready to fry.
• Fry in peanut oil at 350°F for 2-3 minutes.
• Enjoy.