My family's Jumbo Fried Shrimp recipe is the best! You just need four ingredients plus salt and pepper to make this breaded, pan-fried shrimp. Everyone will love it!
I give you Jumbo Fried Shrimp, a.k.a. happiness on a platter. This is one of my family's best seafood recipes, and it's better than anything you can order at a restaurant.
Imagine breaded shrimp fried to golden-brown perfection. The outside is slightly crispy and flavored with oil and simple seasonings. The inside features tender, naturally sweet shrimp.
Yum!! I dare you to eat just one!
We eat this Jumbo Fried Shrimp every Christmas Eve as an Italian appetizer. It's part of our seafood feast that includes octopus and fried calamari. But you can make it any time of the year, including on Lenten fish Fridays!
Recipe ingredients
See the card at the end of this post for the full recipe, but here's an overview.
Jumbo shrimp: Shrimp is sold by the count, which refers to the number of shrimp per pound. Jumbo shrimp will be labeled "16/20," meaning 16-20 shrimp per pound. Or, you may see it labeled as "21/25" or "26/30."
You also could use this recipe for slightly larger shrimp sold as "13/15" count.
Bread crumbs: Use plain, fine bread crumbs. Store-bought works well. I like to keep these in stock for baked breaded scallops.
Oil: Use oil with a high smoke point for frying. Canola works well, or you could use avocado oil, vegetable oil or corn oil. Don't use olive oil, because it will burn quickly.
We're making pan-fried shrimp instead of deep-fried, so we only need the oil to cover the bottom of the pan. But, you'll need enough to change out and replenish the oil as it turns brown.
How to peel shrimp
Start with thawed shrimp. (See the FAQ section for thawing tips.)
If using "EZ peel" shrimp, you can just peel back the shells with your thumbs. Be sure to keep the tails on though! You'll need them as handles for the fried shrimp.
If the shells are not coming off easily, you can insert a small paring knife (affiliate link) below the base of the tail to get it started. Peel back the shells and either discard them or save them to make seafood stock.
How to devein shrimp
Check for the outer black vein running along the back of the peeled shrimp. This is the digestive tract and needs to be removed. You can use a shrimp cleaner (affiliate link) or a dessert fork to pick it out easily.
Rinse the shrimp afterward to remove any remaining black goop. (Eww!)
Now, check for the inner vein, which might be clear or blue. It's not mandatory to remove it, but my family always does when cleaning shrimp. Use the same technique with your tool or fork.
How to make jumbo fried shrimp
See the card at the end of this post for the full recipe, but here's an overview.
- Dip the peeled and deveined shrimp in beaten eggs.
- Dredge the shrimp in plain bread crumbs.
- Continue breading all of the shrimp.
- Fry in heated oil until browned on both sides.
Recipe tips
- Be sure to pat the shrimp dry after you clean it and before you begin breading it. You don't want soggy shrimp.
- Change out the oil when it becomes brown before you fry the next batch of shrimp. This prevents the shrimp from burning on the outside while still being raw inside.
- Transfer the cooked shrimp from the frying pan to a cooling rack, instead of stacked paper towels. This will help keep it crispy. You'll still need to pat the shrimp with paper towels to absorb extra grease.
What to eat with fried shrimp
We serve the breaded jumbo shrimp with fresh lemon to squeeze on top, and cocktail sauce on the side for dipping.
We serve it with Italian greens like sautéed escarole and rapini with garlic for our Italian seafood feast on Christmas Eve.
It also would be great with Italian potato salad with green beans or creamy American potato salad and steamed corn on the cob.
Frequently asked questions
Thaw frozen shrimp overnight in the refrigerator. Place the bag of shrimp in a bowl first, so it won't leak onto your shelves.
If the shrimp is still icy when you need to make it, quickly run the shrimp under a cool stream of water.
If you haven't planned ahead, you can place the bag of shrimp in a bowl of cold water and refrigerate it for a couple of hours, turning the bag over every so often.
If you need to thaw shrimp at the last minute, remove it from the package and place it in a colander in the sink. Run cold water over it for five minutes, using the spray nozzle if you have one. Let the shrimp sit for another 10 minutes or so and rinse again quickly if needed.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), raw shellfish like shrimp can stay in the fridge for just one or two days before cooking it.
Overcooking causes shrimp to become rubbery. It's important to cook shrimp just until it's done. It should be firm on the outside, tender and opaque on the inside, with the tails slightly curled.
When pan-frying jumbo shrimp, it will take about a couple of minutes per side to cook.
Fried fish recipes to try
More seafood recipes to love
- Italian Shrimp Scampi
- Parmesan-Crusted Shrimp
- Garlic Cilantro-Lime Shrimp
- New Orleans-style Shrimp Stew with Rice
- Broiled Scallops with Bread Crumbs
- Gluten-Free Crab Cakes
Enjoy!
If you try this Jumbo Fried Shrimp recipe, please leave a comment and a rating!
Jumbo Fried Shrimp
Ingredients
- 2 pounds raw jumbo shrimp, thawed (16/20 count per pound or 13/15. See notes.)
- 2 eggs
- salt (2 shakes)
- black pepper (2 shakes)
- ¾ cup plain bread crumbs
- 2 ½ cups canola oil (divided use) (Or avocado oil, vegetable oil, etc., You'll need 1 ¼ cups at a time to cover the bottom of a 12-inch frying pan. See notes.)
- 1 lemon for serving
- cocktail sauce for serving
Instructions
- Start with thawed shrimp. (See notes.) You may wish to wear food-safe gloves to clean the shrimp. Peel the shrimp but leave the tails on. (Use a small paring knife to make a tiny cut just above the tail to make it easier to start peeling.) Remove the outer black vein and inner blue or white vein by loosening them with a small fork or a shrimp cleaning tool. Pull them out in one piece with your fingers. Discard the veins. Rinse the shrimp in cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
- Wash your hands well if you touched the raw shrimp. Beat the eggs in a small bowl. Add the salt and pepper. Place the bread crumbs in a dinner plate. Set up an assembly line from left to right with the shrimp, the eggs, the bread crumbs, and a sheet pan with sides.
- Grasping the tail of the shrimp, dip each one in the eggs, then dredge in the bread crumbs, patting the crumbs onto the shrimp. Line up the shrimp on the sheet pan, using wax paper to separate the layers of shrimp if you need to stack them.
- Wash your hands again and set a clean sheet pan lined with a cooling rack (ideally) or paper towels near the stove. You'll also need tongs (or a fork) and a slotted spoon. Pour enough oil in your frying pan to cover the bottom. Heat the oil on medium-high.
- When the oil is hot enough to sizzle (350 degrees F), add a layer of shrimp at a time, without letting them touch. Fry on the first side for two minutes or until the bottom is browned, then carefully flip over the shrimp, using tongs or a fork. When the shrimp is browned on the second side (it should take another two minutes) remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon and place it on the paper cooling rack to drain.
- Continue frying all of the shrimp in batches. After your second batch, discard the oil in the pan (place it in a disposable container rather than dumping it down your drain to prevent problems) and replenish the pan with fresh oil, enough to cover the bottom of the pan. (It's necessary to change the oil after every couple of batches, because once it gets dark, it will burn the shrimp on the outside without cooking it all the way.)
- Blot the cooked shrimp with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Serve with the lemon cut in half or wedges so it can be squeezed on top, and cocktail sauce on the side. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
(Recipe Source: My Mom, who makes the best Jumbo Fried Shrimp ever. Originally published on December 5, 2014 and updated now with new photos and additional information.)
Jennifer French says
This looks good, but how do you keep the shrimp warm but not rubbery while cooking all the batches?An hour and half is a long time to be cooking.
Mamma C says
Hi Jennifer - It only takes 30 minutes to fry all of the batches for three pounds of shrimp. We just place the fried shrimp in platters and cover it with foil until all of it is done. The prep time up front involves cleaning all of the shrimp and breading it.
Tekesha says
Woah, woah, woah! You can't just toss out the words "best tomato-fish sauce on Earth" and not even hint at the recipe! I googled it and there were about a billion recipes. I need to know what is in Mamma's sauce! 😀
Mamma C says
Hahaha! I'm sorry to be a tease. I'm going to learn how to make the sauce, but I can't promise it will appear on the blog. I'm pretty sure it's what I call a "vault recipe," and I may not get the security clearance to publish it unless it's in a cookbook. 🙂
Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
I'm not big on fried food, but shrimp is great fried! I find that it really gets rid of the 'shrimpiness'...these look delicious! I have a shrimp recipe that I'm posting later this week, great minds must think alike 😉
Mamma C says
I'm all about the shrimpiness, Denise! 🙂 But I know what you mean, and that's why fried shrimp is so popular with kids. And there is always room for another shrimp recipe, as far as I'm concerned. I can't wait to see your post.
annie@ciaochowbambina says
I'll be adding this to my Christmas Eve repertoire, this year! The family will love it! Thank you!
Mamma C says
Excellent! That Christmas Eve meal is my favorite of the year. 🙂