Shrimp Po Boy Sliders with Remoulade Sauce

Shrimp is my absolute favorite protein. It’s the one item that stays in my freezer at all times. I love the versatility of it; shrimp can be used in many dishes, ranging from soups to pastas. I began making this recipe as a part of my weekend “junk food” theme. For the weekends, my fiancé and I usually cook a few finger foods and watch movies. I wanted a meal that was quick and easy to make, yet still flavorful. With this being a slider, they are not heavy on your stomach despite the shrimp being fried. 

This recipe contains my foolproof method for frying foods. By using some of your seasoned flour to batter the shrimp with, you ensure that the shrimp are seasoned at every stage. The batter also helps the shrimp stay coated well without weighing down the shrimp, as you’d usually see when you double bread a protein. Inspired by the infamous Po Boys from New Orleans, these sliders taste very reminiscent of Creole country. Be sure to take time to make the remoulade sauce yourself; it helps the sliders take on a unique depth of flavor, more so than a store-bought remoulade. The sliders’ small, portable sizes make them perfect to serve at parties or small gatherings. 

Yield: 12 sliders

Prep time: 1 hr

Total time: 1 hr 20 mins

Ingredients

For Shrimp

1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup cornmeal
2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
½ cup cold water
Vegetable or canola oil, for frying

For Po Boy Assembly

12 slider buns
Shredded lettuce
Cherry tomatoes, sliced
2 Green onions, sliced thinly

For Remoulade Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp relish
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp hot sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp paprika
2 tsp Creole mustard
¼ tsp onion powder
½ tsp horseradish
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
Kosher salt

Directions

For Remoulade Sauce: 

• Mix together all ingredients for remoulade sauce. Season to taste with salt. Let chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to give flavors time to blend together. 

For Shrimp:

• In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, cornmeal, and Cajun seasoning.
• Remove 5 tablespoons of the flour mixture and place in a smaller bowl. Add the ½ cup cold water and whisk together to make a batter. 
• Begin coating the shrimp. First, dip the shrimp into the batter, then coat with flour mixture. Once all shrimp are coated, refrigerate them for 30 minutes to allow coating to stick to the shrimp well. 
• In a fryer or pan, heat oil to 325 degrees. Fry shrimp in small batches (no more than 6 shrimp at a time) for 3-5 minutes. If frying in a pan of shallow oil, turn shrimp over halfway through cooking. Place shrimp on wire rack or paper towel-lined pan when removing from oil. 

For Po Boy Assembly:

• Spread remoulade sauce on top and/or bottom slider buns. On bottom bun, place the shredded lettuce, tomato, and green onion. Place shrimp on top, then complete sandwich with top bun. 

Recipe Tips

• You can purchase a remoulade sauce if you do not want to make your own. 
• If you are sensitive to salt, it is best to use 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning. Packaged seasonings can be very salty.
• The flour-water batter helps keep the shrimp coated well. In my opinion, it is more effective than any other coating method (eggs, buttermilk, etc.). If you prefer, you can use your traditional battering methods along with the flour mixture.
• Instead of serving on slider buns, you can serve these ingredients on French bread to make a more traditional Po Boy.