Ingredients
Units
- 1 1/2lb large wild tiger shrimp, peeled and de-veined (any wild shrimp will work)
Lemon-Buttermilk Brine
- 1 tbsp kosher salt (if using table salt, use 1/2 tbsp)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1–2 tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- zest & juice of 1 lemon
Panko-Flour Mixture
- 8oz. all-purpose flour
- 2oz. panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1–2 tbsp seasoned salt
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- 1 tsp granulated onion
- 2 tsp dried cilantro (parsley or basil will also work)
- *1/4 cup buttermilk for dredging
- oil for frying (I used peanut, but canola or vegetable will work fine)
Instructions
- Combine shrimp, all seasonings, zest, lemon juice, olive oil, and buttermilk in a bowl until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour, NO LONGER!
- Meanwhile, flour, panko, seasonings, lemon zest in a separate bowl. Pour 1/4 cup of buttermilk into a tiny bowl.
- After at least 30 minutes, take your shrimp out of the refrigerator. Pour and drain off all of the marinade. Leftover bits of the zest will remain, and that’s fine. You just want to remove the brine liquid. Rinse if necessary. Dip each shrimp into the plain buttermilk, then into the flour/panko mixture, packing it on well. Place each shrimp on a baking sheet or plate, then place in the refrigerator or freezer for 20 minutes to allow the coating to set up so that it doesn’t fall apart in the fryer later.
- Heat about 2 inches of oil in a pot to 375 degrees. Remove shrimp from fridge/freezer. Fry a few shrimp at a time for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on a wired rack of paper towels.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
If using smaller shrimp than large, only marinate for 30 minutes. Cook time will be faster than noted above.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 3 mins
