Louisiana: The Land of Milk and Honey… And Shrimp!
It’s shrimp season here in Louisiana, and the shrimp are plentiful! Each year Louisiana shrimpers catch 90 – 120 million pounds of both brown and white shrimp, and 69% of the domestic, US shrimp are harvested from the Gulf waters.
We are proud of our seafood here in Louisiana, and that includes our shrimp too. Even if you don’t live in Louisiana, you probably eat Louisiana seafood. Louisiana seafood is known around the world for taste, quality and variety. When you enjoy seafood at home or in a restaurant, chances are excellent that it’s from Louisiana. Nearly 1/3 of the domestic seafood consumed in the contiguous United States comes fresh from our waters. Louisiana is the number one provider of shrimp, oysters, crab, crawfish and alligator production in the USA and we’re a close second in the harvest of fin fish. Situated at the top of the Gulf of Mexico, with a wealth of rivers and lakes throughout the state, Louisiana is indeed the “land of milk and honey” when it comes to seafood.
Buying Shrimp in Louisiana
Fresh shrimp are sold according to size, based on the number of shrimp per pound. For example, “16-20 count” means that you will get 16 to 20 shrimp in a pound. 16-20 count are your large shrimp. For boiling, you really want your shrimp to be at least 26-30 count. Anything smaller than that will be too small.
Seafood markets are peppered all across south Louisiana, which makes it really easy to find fresh shrimp this time of year. You might also be lucky enough to come across a shrimper selling fresh shrimp out of his truck on the side of the road. Those shrimp were probably swimming in the Gulf of Mexico earlier that morning or the previous day. If you come across one of those shrimpers, you’ll probably pay less for their shrimp than you would at a seafood market.
If you are looking to buy fresh shrimp, but you just don’t know where to go, try out the “Seafood Locator” on the website for the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board. They can point you in the right direction. They even have information on buying shrimp from the docks.
Boiling Shrimp Louisiana-Style
Across America it seems that Old Bay is the old standard when it comes to boiled or steamed seafood. Except in Louisiana, of course. 😉 I do like Old Bay, but for boiling seafood, we like to kick it up a notch or two down here in Louisiana.
The recipe below can certainly be adjusted to your taste. We like it hot, so I’m giving it to you hot. Feel free to play around with it until you come upon the taste you like.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2.5 to 3 cups Zatarain’s Pro Boil crab boil
- 8 ounces Zatarain’s liquid crab boil
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Cayenne, to taste
- Granulated garlic, to taste
- 6 sweet yellow onions, cut in half
- 10 heads of garlic, cut in half
- 2 bottles of concentrated lemon juice
- 20 new potatoes
- 12 ears frozen sweet corn, cut in half
- 4 gallons water
- 20 pounds fresh Louisiana shrimp, heads on
DIRECTIONS:
- Bring water to a boil and add all the seasonings, the onion, the granulated garlic, and one bottle of lemon juice. Taste for seasoning, add salt as necessary. Flush shrimp with tap water until water runs clear and the eyes of the shrimp grow in size, about 5 minutes.
- When the water comes to a boil, add the potatoes and cook 15 minutes. We like to use a boiling bag (or a lingerie bag) to keep the potatoes together. We use a separate bag for the garlic, since the potatoes and the garlic have different cook times. About 10 minutes after adding the potatoes, add the garlic to the pot, and allow it to cook for about 5 minutes. Sample the water again for seasoning and make any necessary adjustments. Then add the shrimp to the pot. Stir well. Bring the water back to a boil and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Turn off the shrimp boil and add the frozen corn to the pot along with the second bottle of lemon juice. Stir again.
- Add salt as necessary. Allow the shrimp to soak for about 15 minutes. Taste one of the shrimp to determine whether you need to add any additional salt or seasoning. Let the shrimp rest in the water for another 10 to 15 minutes.
Note: The garlic comes out soft as butter. It can certainly be saved and used to top some warm french bread.
A Special Father’s Day #SundaySupper
It’s that time of year to celebrate dear Ol’ Dad. We all know the way to Dad’s heart on Father’s Day is through his stomach. This week, the Sunday Supper Team is celebrating Dad’s by sharing our favorite Father’s Day Recipes. This is a special event because through the Sunday Supper Movement, we have become an extended family. I am honored to celebrate with all the special Dad’s, Grandfathers, Uncles and families that have been brought together by this amazing group. Join us for this special #SundaySupper! – Isabel Foodie from FamilyFoodie.com
Dad’s Favorite Main Dishes:
- Father’s Day Ribs by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
- Chorizo Burgers by La Cocina de Leslie
- Whiskey Sliders by Cravings of a Lunatic
- Beer Can Chicken by Crazy Foodie Stunts
- Pesto Shrimp Roll Sandwich by Growing Up Gabel
- Cast Iron Filet Mignon with Wine Sauce by I Run For Wine
- Grilled Tilapia with Blueberry Mango Salsa by Runner’s Tales
- Chicken Wings for Dad by The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
- Fish with Black Bean Sauce by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Spaghetti with Homemade Meatballs by Curious Cuisiniere
- Tamale Pie Ring by Treats & Trinkets
- Grill-Roasted Chicken & Vegetables by Foxes Loves Lemons
- Grandma Papina’s Lamb Stew by Webicurean
- Barbecue Beans and Ribs by Food Lust People Love
- Skillet Meat Lasagna by Peanut Butter and Peppers
- Panko Crusted Snapper by Supper for a Steal
- Gluten Free Bourbon Honey Grilled Pork Chops by No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
- Boiled Shrimp for Father’s Day by The Catholic Foodie
- Dad’s Famous Baby Back Ribs by Family Foodie
- Turkey Stuffed Peppers by Ruffles & Truffles
- Lightened Up Fish Biriyani With Fresh Dill by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
- Cauliflower, Potato, and Cheddar Pierogi by Healthy.Delicious
Dad’s Favorite Appetizers and Sides:
- Spicy Caramelized Bacon Wrapped Smoked Oysters by Noshing with the Nolands
- Tuna Pasta Salad – Dad’s Recipe by Juanita’s Cocina
- Grilled Bok Choy by Shockingly Delicious
- Bacon-Cheddar Potato Salad by Home Cooking Memories
- Couscous Tabbouleh by Soni’s Food
Dad’s Favorite Desserts
- Dad’s Cheesecake by Table for 7
- Cheese Crackers by The Urban Mrs
- Coconut Cream Pie by Cookin’ Mimi
- Chewy Oat Cookies with a Banana Bread Influence by What Smells So Good?
- Homemade Nutter Butters by Pies and Plots
- Shoot for the Stars Chocolate Cupcakes by Ninja Baking
- Golden Coconut Bars by Magnolia Days
- Classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies by NeighborFood
- Velvet Cookies by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Pecan Pie by Small Wallet Big Appetite
Come celebrate Father’s day with the Sunday Supper Team! We would love to have you join our Twitter #SundaySupper chat starting at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag throughout the day to see the amazing recipes. We look forward to seeing you. To join all you need to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and share your favorite tips and recipes. Be sure to check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more delicious recipes and photos.
Cafe Hope and the Creole Tomato Festival
Oh my goodness my husband would love this, we haven’t had a shrimp boil since we move out of the US. This would be such a treat for us, I need to give it a try.
Oh yum! I love it! Your dish is so summery and looks delish!
I love shrimp, but I’ve never had the boiled like this. (I’m a New Yorker, what can I say?) Also, I can’t get over the thought of buying them from a truck on the side of the road… that just cracks me up!
I am super jealous of all your fresh seafood. We try to get to the coast at least once a year just so we can have something really fresh! Only problem is, after you have the good stuff, you can never go back to Red Lobster again!
There is honestly nothing better than a Louisiana shrimp boil. I am super jealous all that goodness is so close to you. This is a perfect boil. YUM.
Oh how I wish I was so close to all the fresh seafood. My dad loved boiled shrimp. He would head for it first if he saw it on the table. It’s a great recipe to share for Father’s Day.
You are making me homesick, Jeff! Those shrimp look fabulous. I was born in New Iberia and I had never even heard of Old Bay until I was a grown woman. I don’t think it’s used much in Texas either. You can’t beat Zatarain’s for flavor and spice.
What a great recipe, I have never had a shrimp boil and have to change that ASAP!!
What a treat!
Oh my goodness, these shrimp look so good. My kids would love this!
Ive only been lucky enough to do seafood boil once… zatarains stuff is so hard to find here! I’m living vicariously through yo though
How cool! My husband would really sink his teeth into these shrimp!
ooh, that shrimp looks delish and so does the new look on your blog. Guessing it’s the metro theme revamped 🙂 ! I switched to taht theme too recently.
Thank you so much for the information about Louisiana shrimp! It certainly does sound like the land of “milk and honey” for the seafood lover 🙂 – Your shrimp boils sounds fantastic – yum!
You had my at shrimp boil!
I wish I lived where there was a shrimp season! YUM!