I kid you not, this is the best fried shrimp you will EVER put in your mouth! I created this recipe some 20 years ago and used this in our restaurants for years! Jimmy and his family went nuts over this shrimp! You can cook it, but don’t tell anyone how you do it!
Tim Lawhorn is back in the kitchen with Amanda Sites using the fryer on this Sunday afternoon. The menu calls for some tasty seafood today – fresh catfish and jumbo shrimp. One cup sherry, one cup water, 3 tablespoons of Lawhorn’s makes this super-simple marinade. After marinating, the shrimp and catfish is dipped in breading, then in the fryer and right to the table. Jimmy Sites kitchen has seem some big, exotic game but this simple down-home seafood feast is right on par with those wild game meals. Jimmy’s award-winning show, “Spiritual Outdoor Adventures” is hosting these cooking segments with Jimmy’s wife Amanda and the creator of Lawhorn’s Signature Seasonings during the entire 2011/2012 season on the Pursuit Channel.
This is really a 2 part recipe because the shrimp marinates in its own special marinade, while the catfish does not. Not to say you couldn’t marinate the catfish if you wanted to. The breading part of both items is the same, so all you need to do is mix the marinade for the shrimp and let them sit in the fridge for a couple of hours at least, before fryin’ those bad boys up! If you’re cooking both fish & shrimp, you may need to increase your flour and egg wash proportions a bit.
INGREDIENTS:
2lb.-large Gulf shrimp(16-20 to 21-25count), peeled and deveined
2lb- fresh catfish fillets, cut into 2″ X4″ strips
Shrimp marinade–2 cups water, 1 cup Sherry, 1/4Cup LAWHORN’S SIGNATURE SEASONINGS
4Cups-Corn Flour or Self-Rising flour (I prefer corn flour, but sometimes can’t find it. Ask your local bakery to get it for you )
NOTE TO COOK: you REALLY need the corn flour for this recipe. Though the SR flour will taste good, the corn flour is the bomb on shrimp & catfish!
4 eggs- beaten
1/4 cup milk
1/4Cup + 3TBS LAWHORN’S SIGNATURE SEASONINGS
DIRECTIONS:
MARINATED FRIED SHRIMP—Marinate the shrimp completely submerged for at least 2 hours, 6 hours is better! Dump the 1/4 cup of Lawhorn’s into a bowl with your corn flour and mix it up very good.(sifting it is even better, if you have one) Dump the 3 TBS of Lawhorn’s and the milk into a bowl big enough to mix the shrimp in with it, drain the marinade off the shrimp and mix them together good.
Heat your oil to 350 degrees. I recommend peanut oil because of its higher temperature tolerances and superior flavor on fried foods. For a lighter crust, take the shrimp out of the egg , let it drain off most of the egg, then toss them in the flour and coat good on all sides. GENTLY ease the shrimp into the fryer away from your body to prevent hot grease from splashing on your hands. If you’re using a fry basket, then slowly drop the shrimp into the grease. Shake or stir the pieces so they don’t stick to each other, and cook them for about 2-3 minutes. DO NOT OVERLOAD your fryer basket, or your frying pot! The oil will lose too much temperature too quick and your shrimp will come out soggy. The oil must maintain temp. at least 340 degrees.
COUNTY CATFISH— Dump the 3 TBS of Lawhorn’s and the milk into a bowl big enough to mix the fish in it. Season the catfish liberally with the Lawhorn’s then put them in the egg wash & milk liquid. Now roll the fillets in the corn flour, shake off the excess flour and gently put them in the fryer for about 8-10 minutes for a crunchy texture. Absolutely awesome catfish! Use this same recipe and method on ANY of your favorite fish, scallops, oysters…if it swims, it’ll taste great like this!
