New Orleans BBQ Shrimp - Girl Carnivore

After years of chasing flavors all over the world, we’ve realized that nailing a regional classic isn’t about a secret ingredient. It’s about respect, research, and a whole lot of taste-testing.

This recipe is one where every Southern grandma has their own version, so we simmered, tasted, and tweaked this dish more times than we could count. Why the obsession? Because you deserve real-deal BBQ shrimp, not some pale imitation. And this version delivers. We’ve been making it for years now as a punchy party app that everyone devours, and so have our readers. It’s loaded with mouthwatering shrimp drenched in a finger licking sauce that’s so good you’ll want to sop up with every bite.

What is New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp?

The steaming hot skillet is loaded with jumbo gulf shrimp simmered and sauteed with garlic, onions, and spices before being tossed in a rich sauce with a hint of heat and a pop of freshness from some lemon juice. It’s a balanced dish that has you peeling and dunking shrimp and bites of crusty bread into the sauce over and over.

Pretty much almost as fun as shrimp skewers. Ok, more fun. But also, more clean up.

Now, technically, this dish doesn’t have to be cooked on a grill (or over a fire), but since it’s BBQ shrimp, we figured we’d give it a try. Turns out, it’s one of our favorite camping dinners! And much like our favorite Cajun shrimp tacos, it packs a ton of flavor!

Ingredients tp cook New Orleans BBQ Shrimp.

BBQ Shrimp Recipe

This is one of those recipes where you don’t want to skimp. It’s incredibly easy, and top-quality ingredients will shine through:

Jumbo gulf shrimp – the large, shell-on shrimp.
Butter – unsalted.
Hot sauce – use your favorite hot sauce.
Cajun-style seasoning – we used Louisiana Lightning, but any creole seasoning will do.
White wine – use a dry white wine with higher acidity, like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon blanc. They’ll add a hint of flavor without overwhelming the dish.
Chicken broth – low sodium.
Garlic
Onion
Lemon
Parsley
Worcestershire sauce – adds a subtle umami flavor.

Oh! And the sauce is amazing, so you are going to want to dip lots of crusty French bread into it as well.

GirlCarnivore Pro Tip: Cooking over coals can be tricky, especially when regulating heat in a cast iron pan. For success, have all of your ingredients ready to go before you start, and don’t be afraid to pull the cast iron off the heat to cool things off. Remember, cast iron holds heat, so moving it around to make sure things don’t get too hot is totally ok.

How to make New Orleans-Style BBQ Shrimp

1. Start by preheating your cast iron over a 2-zone cooking fire or grill. Now, add a tablespoon of butter to the pan and give it a good coat. Next up, toss in the onion and sauté in the melted butter for 5 minutes until they’re translucent and get a hint of golden brown.

3. Next, add the garlic and let it cook for just 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the Cajun seasoning, giving everything a good stir to make sure it’s evenly coated. Now, pour in the Worcestershire and hot sauce, and give it a good mix. Don’t forget to add that zing with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Shrimp in skillet with spices for New Orleans BBQ Shrimp on grill.

5. Toss the shrimp into the onion mixture, cook, and flip until the shrimp turn pink and cooked through about 3 to 5 minutes. Once done, wrap the shrimp in foil and set them aside.

2. Now, let’s whip up that savory sauce. Using the same cast iron skillet, deglaze with white wine, scraping up any browned bits for extra flavor. Stir in chicken broth and let it simmer until the liquid thickens, coating the back of the spoon for around 10 minutes. Remove it from heat, and whisk in butter, one tablespoon at a time.

Bubbling sauce in cast iron skillet with bread being toasted for New Orleans BBQ Shrimp.

4. Toss the sautéed shrimp back into the skillet, add the Over Easy blend, and give them a good coat in that delicious sauce. Top it off with some fresh parsley for that burst of color and flavor.

Cast iron skillet of new orleans shrimp on grill.

6. Now, with caution, serve it straight from the skillet while it’s hot. If you prefer, transfer it to a big bowl and serve it up with some grilled bread and lemon wedges.

GIRL CARNIVORE EXPERT RECIPE TIPS

Before reheating your shrimp, let them come to room temperature.
Let your shrimp come to room temp before cooking to ensure it cooks evenly.

Showing coals and grilling New Orleans BBQ Shrimp in skillet.

What to Serve with BBQ Shrimp

This dish is super saucy, so you’ll need some crusty baguettes to sop up the goodness. If you plan on serving this dish as a meal, we suggest pairing it with some air fryer corn on the cob and roasted green beans. Or, if you’re serving it as an appetizer, serve it alongside some steamed stone crab claws with garlic butter and smoked bacon-wrapped scallops for the ultimate seafood spread.

Cast Iron New Orleans BBQ Shrimp with bright slices of lemon and fresh parsley.

Leftovers & Reheating

Store leftover shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also freeze them for up to 2 months, but we find that they lose quality when frozen and reheated.

To reheat:

Place a large skillet on the stovetop on medium heat.
Place leftover shrimp inside the skillet and sauté for a few minutes each side until warm.
Remove and serve.

More like this Barbecue Shrimp:

With fresh shrimp, cajun spices, and Worcestershire-spiked butter sauce, this easy recipe brings a taste of the bayou right into your home. It’s super easy to make and is the perfect appetizer or main course for any occasion.

Have you tried this recipe? Do us a favor and rate the recipe card with the ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ and drop a comment to help out the next reader.

You know how some dishes have a reputation that makes your mouth water just thinking about them? New Orleans BBQ Shrimp is one of them—all swagger and spice. But try to recreate it at home, and suddenly it’s all butter, no jazz.

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Cook the Shrimp

Preheat your cast iron over a 2-zone cooking fire or grill.
Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan and coat.
Add the onion and sautee for 5 minutes, until translucent and slightly browned.
Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
Add the Cajun seasoning and stir to coat.
Add the Worcestershire and hot sauce and stir to combine.
Add the lemon juice.
Add the shrimp, tossing in the onion mixture, and cooking, flipping as needed until shells become pink and shrimp is cooked through on both sides, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove shrimp, wrap in foil, and set aside.

Make Sauce

Working with the same cast iron skillet, deglaze with white wine, scraping up any browned bits.
Stire in chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Allow the liquid to reduce until thickened and coats the back of spoon, aboit 10 minutes.
Remove from heat, whisk in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time.