Blackened Shrimp

What Is Blackened Shrimp?

Actually, this word “blackened” has two meanings. It is both – a method of cooking as well as a dry blend of spicy seasonings.

Chef Paul Prudhomme is the genius behind both the blackened cooking method, and the blackening spice blend. Although, through the years and interpretations of many other chefs and homecooks, the blackening spice blend gained some variations.

The blackening cooking process involves dredging meat in butter, coating it in spice blend, and then pan searing it in a preheated pan, at high temperature. Shrimp cooks quickly anyway, but when it’s placed into a searing hot pan, it can be ready in 4-6 minutes!

Blackening spice usually includes a combination of paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, dried, basil, dried oregano, black pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper.

Ingredient Notes Before Shopping

Blackening seasoning: I provide a very easy recipe for blackening seasoning that you can easily increase and make a bigger batch to use later. (Store homemade blackening seasoning in an air-tight glass jar.) You can also use store-bought blackening seasoning but watch the salt content. If it lists salt on the label, taste it before adding more salt to your shrimp.

Butter: use unsalted butter since we have salt in the seasoning already and if you need to, use plant based butter.

What Shrimp To Use?

My recommendation is always to go for large or extra large or even jumbo shrimp. Since shrimp is a protein that cooks super fast, the smaller it is, the easier to overcook.

You can use frozen shrimp or fresh shrimp. Make sure to thaw frozen shrimp in the refrigerator, in the original packaging. Fresh shrimp is best to cook within 24 hours of bringing it home.

Make sure to peel and devein shrimp before cooking as well! You absolutely have to take out the shrimp’s digestive tract. As far as the shrimp tails, you can choose to leave them on or take them off.

Lyuba’s Tips and Instructions To Make Blackened Shrimp

Perfecting this shrimp recipe requires two important steps: using the correct blend of spices and ensuring making sure not to over-cook shrimp.

• Best cooking pan: the best pan to blacken shrimp in is a cast iron skillet, because it retains heat for a long time and cooks evenly.
• Make sure the shrimp is not cold before you start seasoning and cooking it! Cold shrimp will solidify the butter and the seasoning won’t adhere evenly.
• Preheat! Preheat! Preheat! It takes about 5 minutes to prep the shrimp (that is already cleaned) so that is a good time to preheat the pan. Set it to medium-high and let it preheat while seasoning the shrimp.
• Pat the shrimp dry before coating in melted butter and then seasoning. Toss it to coat well.
• Melt butter in the pan, spread shrimp in one layer so they are not overlapping, and sear them for 1.5-2 minutes per side.

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How Spicy Is This Shrimp Recipe?

This dish has, for lack of a better term, enjoyable heat. The heat level is noticeable, but not in an overly spicy, burn your throat way. The only sources of spicy heat are from black and cayenne pepper.

Cayenne pepper is the one responsible for the level of heat in this recipe. If you want it less spicy, use less cayenne pepper, and vise versa.

More Recipes To Try

If you’re a fan of blackened seafood, try my blackened salmon and blackened tilapia, both are easy recipes with delightful results. Blackened fish tacos are super easy, flavorful, and perfect for Taco Tuesday.

If you enjoy spicy Cajun or creole food, jambalaya recipe is perfect for you.

Bright and spicy Cajun shrimp recipe featuring juicy shrimp seasoned in Cajun seasoning and cooked with bacon and a chunky tomato and vegetable sauce. You can also make Cajun shrimp on the grill.