Another family favorite from the old Betty Crocker’s New Picture Cook Book (1961), “Avery Island Deviled Shrimp” always seems like a special occasion dinner. I usually make it in the summer with fresh shrimp that I bread myself, per the recipe instructions, but it can be done with good quality frozen breaded shrimp, as I’m doing today. I like the Aqua Star Butterfly Crunchy Shrimp available here, quickly pan fried in butter and a little olive oil. What makes the recipe is the sauce that is both spicy and savory. It’s one of those dishes that is easy to make, but impresses people. Today, we get to eat it all ourselves. As the cookbook notes, the original recipe comes from the family that founded the Tabasco product.
Avery Island Deviled Shrimp
The time depends on whether you are deveining and breading your own shrimp or using frozen breaded shrimp. I’m giving the cookbook’s recipe here, adding any changes I make.
Prepare shrimp:
1 lb deveined fresh shrimp (or thawed frozen)
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
1/4 cup butter
Deviled Shrimp Sauce
3 cups hot cooked rice (1 cup uncooked)
Roll shrimp in mixture of egg and salt, then in bread crumbs. Brown in butter over medium heat about 10 min., until pink. Remove shrimp and keep warm while preparing Deviled Shrimp Sauce. Arrange shrimp on rice and pour sauce over all.
You could even use deep fried shrimp, IMHO.
My changes today: To use frozen breaded shrimp, sauté the shrimp in 1/4 cup butter and two tablespoons olive oil for about a minute on each side over medium high heat.
Deviled Shrimp Sauce
1 medium onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 can (10 1/2 oz) consommé
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons steak sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco®
juice of 1 small lemon (1-2 tablespoons)
Sauté onion and garlic in butter over medium heat until tender. Add remaining ingredients except lemon juice. Bring to boil and simmer 15 min., or until volume is reduced to 1/2 (about 1 cup). Add lemon juice.
The sauce is thin, so it’s a good idea to serve it in a large bowl.
My changes today: I used chicken stock for the canned consommé and water, about 2 1/2 cups. For the steak sauce, I used A.1., which I assume they mean in the original. My mustard was Dijon, and I don’t know if a yellow mustard would be more authentic.
Note: You can find this recipe or ones similar to it all over the web without any credit to the original. I wish people would stop doing that. There’s no shame in repeating a recipe that you read about or heard about somewhere else—isn’t that how they all come down to us?
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Love this recipe! It will always have a special place in my heart. My dad made this every year for my mom’s birthday. After my mom passed my dad would make this for my sister and I for our birthday’s growing up. My dad passed away last December and I miss him so much. He always enjoyed making this for us. Still have the old Betty Crocker cookbook it came out of . When in doubt dad would go to that old Betty Crocker cookbook. Thanks for sharing!
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I’m so glad that you have shared this memory with us. It will make the dish more important to me, too, every time I make it now. Your story reminds us that we are all more connected than divided. Happy Holidays.
–Barbara
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Many, many years ago, as is a tradition in many families, I asked my daughter what she wanted for her birthday dinner. She brought out the Betty Crocker cookbook and showed me the recipe for Avery Island Shrimp. It was a great success and we had it for many of her birthdays. She is in her 50’s now and sent me a picture on face book with the Avery Island Shrimp that she still makes for her birthday
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Thank you for this story. This recipe seems to touch a lot of families, in addition to being a great dish.
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Like the other stories ,this was my birthday dish. After our mom passed my sissy made it for me and even after five yrs of cancer treatments weekly she brought it too me one last time. It’s so important to make these memories.thank you for posting this recipe with your story.
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Great vintage recipe…My Husband and I will celebrate 59 years of marriage this year and he will be 77 this month. He has always asked for this dish for his birthday every year for at least the last 50 years. I will happily make it for him next Thursday Aug 11th. Thanks for sharing.
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Congratulations! I’m sure you will both enjoy it. My daughter went to college in Louisiana and talked often about a similar dish, so that’s what made me finally try it. We often make it at her house. Again, Congratulations on your long marriage.🎂
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