BBQ Pepper Shrimp

Name: BBQ Pepper Shrimp
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks; 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined; Salt; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 medium shallot, diced small (about 1/4 inch); 1/3 cup dry white wine; 1 rosemary sprig; 1 thyme sprig; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce; 1 tablespoon cayenne hot sauce (such as Tabasco); 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving; 1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper; Crusty bread or cooked pasta, for serving

Recipe from Tim McNulty

Adapted by Korsha Wilson

Published Dec. 5, 2024

Total Time: 35 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Rating: 5(622)
Comments: Read comments

This dish, inspired by the BBQ pepper shrimp at the Lobster Pot (the busy seafood restaurant in Provincetown, Massachusetts, that the McNulty family began operating in 1979), is a rich, satisfying shrimp dinner that comes together quickly. Chef and owner Tim McNulty came up with the idea for the dish after trying New Orleans-style BBQ shrimp. He blends those spicy flavors with the richness of beurre blanc, a classic French butter sauce. “It’s a big seller for us,” McNulty says of the dish, which has been on the menu for more than 10 years. The sauce is an ideal topping for pasta or crusty bread and is a perfect match for any seafood: “It's a great base recipe and you can add scallops or lobster to it instead of the shrimp.” The sauce also makes a luscious topping for steak, similar to an au poivre. —Korsha Wilson

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

4tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt
2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3garlic cloves, minced
1medium shallot, diced small (about ¼ inch)
⅓cup dry white wine
1rosemary sprig
1thyme sprig
½cup heavy cream
2tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1tablespoon cayenne hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
1tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
1½teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
Crusty bread or cooked pasta, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Place the butter in the freezer until ready to use.
Step 2
Pat the shrimp dry on a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt. In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high for 2 minutes. Swirl the pan to coat the bottom. Add half of the shrimp and cook until lightly golden in spots and starting to curl (they’ll be almost cooked through), 2 to 3 minutes per side. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked shrimp to a plate. Repeat with the remaining shrimp, using the remaining tablespoon of oil to coat the pan. Transfer the remaining shrimp to the plate.
Step 3
Adjust heat to medium and add the garlic and shallot. Cook, stirring, until shiny and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine, rosemary and thyme and stir, scraping up any browned bits. Let simmer until the skillet is almost completely dry, 1 to 2 minutes. Add cream, Worcestershire, hot sauce, lemon juice and black pepper. Continue to simmer and let reduce until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes more. Taste and adjust salt if desired.
Step 4
Remove the butter from the freezer. Adjust heat to low and add half the butter. Stir until completely melted, and then add the remaining butter. Stir constantly until butter is melted and sauce is smooth.
Step 5
Return the shrimp to the pan and cook, stirring to coat in the sauce, until shrimp is piping hot and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately with crusty bread (or over pasta), with lemon wedges alongside.

Ratings

5 out of 5

622 user ratings

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Comments

Rick H3 months ago

I didn't know: Putting the butter in the freezer helps ensure it remains very cold until added to the sauce at the end of cooking. When cold butter is incorporated into a hot sauce slowly and gradually, it emulsifies better, creating a smoother, silkier sauce with a velvety texture. If the butter is too warm or melted when added, it can separate, making the sauce greasy instead of creamy. Freezing the butter briefly ensures optimal emulsification, resulting in a rich, glossy finish to your sauce

Terps Fan6 months ago

Hmmm. Wonder if I can use Old Bay Hot Sauce instead of Tabasco because Old Bay makes the world go round

Andy G.6 months ago

I cut the tabasco to make it edible for my wife, served it over cavatelli, and it was a hit with the family. I doubled the reciped and probably used about 40 percent of the Tabasco called for (slightly under one tablespoon instead of two full ones). I'm a big fan of heat and it had a satisfying fire wthout feeling the need to add any additional Tabasco, so those with a sensitive food palate might want to go easy on the Tabasco, at least on their first try.

Erin2 days ago

I have made this dish twice now and I really do enjoy it. Few dishes use cooking the shrimp to impart the shrimp flavor into the dish for depth of flavor like this one does. Adding a glug more of cream to the sauce (if you need to) anytime after it starts cooking will not hurt the sauce at all. This is really nice served over polenta.

Samantha3 days ago

This did NOT work for us. Made as written, and the sauce basically just tasted like Worcestershire sauce. I did like the cook on the shrimp- they were perfect. But next time I’ll just improv a garlic butter sauce…this recipe just wasn’t appealing enough to try again.

Andrew1 month ago

I substituted Cholula for the Tabasco. I have two young children. Cholula is less piquant and has garlic. It was a hit with the kids.

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