Fried Shrimp Po' Boy

5 from 1 vote

A Fried Shrimp Po' Boy is a classic sandwich from New Orleans, Louisiana, that features crispy fried shrimp nestled inside a piece of French bread - fully dressed with shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and sliced pickles.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Assembly15

Total Time45

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Cajun, Creole, Southern

Keyword: fried shrimp po boy, po boy recipe

Cooking Method: Deep Fryer

Servings:

Calories: 543kcal

Author: Kari

Equipment

deep fryer

Ingredients

For the Shrimp

1 ½ pounds small or medium shrimp 21-25 count per pound, peeled and deveined
3-4 tablespoons Crystal Hot Sauce
1 ¾ cups White Lily self-rising flour⁠⁠⁠⁠
¼ cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
3 cups peanut oil

For Building and Dressing the Sandwich

1 loaf French bread
2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise per sandwich
1-2 large tomato thinly sliced
dill pickle chips
iceberg lettuce thinly sliced or shredded

Instructions

Cook the Shrimp

Preheat your deep fryer to 350-375°F and get the oil warming. I usually heat mine to 375°F as the oil temperature will drop as the shrimp cook. (See below for stovetop instructions.)
3 cups peanut oil
Toss the shrimp in the hot sauce in one of the shallow bowls and let them sit for a few minutes.
1 ½ pounds small or medium shrimp, 3-4 tablespoons Crystal Hot Sauce
In the second bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning to make the seasoned flour.
1 ¾ cups White Lily self-rising flour⁠⁠⁠⁠, ¼ cup yellow cornmeal, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
Toss the marinated shrimp in the flour mixture until fully coated, then shake off any excess breading.
Lay the shrimp out on a baking sheet and repeat until they are all coated.
Carefully drop the shrimp in the hot oil, a few at a time.
Cook for 1-2 minutes, just until the shrimp are golden brown.
Remove the shrimp from the fryer and shake off any excess oil (I hang the basket on the side of the deep fryer for a minute or two) before dumping the shrimp out onto paper towels to cool. Sprinkle a pinch of Creole or Cajun seasoning over the cooked shrimp.
*To use a pot on the stove, heat a few inches of oil in a dutch oven to 375°F. Fry the shrimp a few at a time, then remove with a slotted spoon to cool on paper towels.

How to Build Fully Dressed Po Boy Sandwiches

First, slice the loaf of French bread into 6-8 inch pieces (or smaller if desired), then slice it in half and toast it lightly.
1 loaf French bread
Next, thoroughly slather both sides of the bread with a heaping amount of mayonnaise.
2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise
Place a layer of shredded lettuce on top of the mayonnaise, then tomatoes, then shrimp, and finally, top it with pickles. Serve your po boys and enjoy!
1-2 large tomato, dill pickle chips, iceberg lettuce

Notes

Depending on how big you make your sandwiches, this recipe will serve 4-6 people.

How to Store Leftovers

Store leftover fried shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Shrimp will keep for only a few days, so eat them quickly!

How to Reheat Leftovers

The best way to reheat leftover shrimp is in the air fryer. The air fryer will crisp the shrimp back up by heating up the oil in the breading, and the shrimp will taste just like they were freshly cooked.

Tips

If you are cooking a lot of shrimp, place them on a wire rack on a baking sheet in the oven at a low temperature to keep warm until the rest of the shrimp are done cooking. This will help them stay crispy and warm.
If you want to make your po' boys unique, you can serve them with a zesty remoulade sauce spread on them or homemade chips on the side.

What is a Substitute for Self-Rising Flour?

Use all-purpose flour. 1 cup Self-Rising Flour = 1 cup of all-purpose flour mixed together with 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder and ¼ teaspoon of salt.

Note: Most of the oil will not be absorbed by the shrimp, but it is needed by the fryer. Nutrition facts are calculated assuming about ½ cup of oil is used.

Nutrition