This guide to shrimp po’ boy sandwich recipes includes tips on perfecting the fried prawns to fill the crusty rolls, as well as lettuce, tomato, pickles and the tangy sauce to tie everything together. Making po’ boys at home is very doable with only a bit of shallow frying. Get started making this staple of Southern cuisine at home with this step by step guide.
Gathering the best seafood for frying
To create this recipe you need 500 grams or one pound of prawns which should be peeled and deveined. The prawns you buy at the store should be completely thawed. Large prawns are much easier to handle than a whole bunch of little prawns and saves you a lot of extra work. Before putting the flour on the prawns make sure that you completely dry the prawns off using a paper towel to help the coating of the prawn stick better.
Preparing the spicy cajun flour coating
Start off by taking 1/3 of a cup each of cornmeal and plain flour. Add salt (1 tsp), sweet paprika (1 tbsp) and onion powder and garlic powder (2 tsp each). Then, add some dried thyme (3/4 tsp), and a little bit of pepper (1/4 tsp each black and cayenne) to taste. Whisk all the dry ingredients together and put it in a medium sized bowl to coat the prawns in.
Mixing up the tangy remoulade sauce
The foundation of the sauce, which makes these sandwiches so good, is a whole egg mayonnaise. Add 2 1/2 tablespoons of yellow mustard, a tablespoon of whole grain mustard, 2 tablespoons of prepared horseradish, and 1 teaspoon each of pickle juice and tabasco. Finish with a garlic clove, which should be grated, and two teaspoons of paprika. Mix thoroughly.
Getting the prawns ready for the pan
In a bowl, mix one large egg with a whisk. Put the dried prawns in the bowl with the egg. Coat the prawns in egg. Drain any excess egg. Now put them in the cajun flour. Toss the mixture of flour and prawns to coat. Using a strainer-like motion, shake off any excess flour with your hands. Now the prawns are coated and ready to pan fry.
Shallow frying for maximum crispiness
Heat oil to 350 degrees F, or 180 C in a pan about 2 cm deep. Use a heavy pan for even heating. Lower about half the coated prawns into the hot oil. Leave the prawns for about 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown, then take them out of the pan using a slotted spoon and place on paper towels. Salt them with 1/4 teaspoon while still hot.
Heating the bread rolls properly
For four crusty white bread rolls, it’s best to warm them up without fully toasting. Overdoing it causes the rolls to disintegrate the instant you try to take a bite. Get the oven to 180°C or 350°F and wrap your rolls in some foil. Place them in the oven and turn it off immediately. Then, prepare your meal. The rolls will be ready and perfect by the time you’re done.
Prepping the fresh vegetable fillings
A proper sandwich needs the right crunch so grab 2 cups of shredded iceberg lettuce and slice up two fresh tomatoes. You also need 1/4 cup of dill pickles and I like slicing them on an angle so they sit better on the bread. Having all these veggies ready makes the final building process so much faster and less messy when your prawns are hot.
Starting the sandwich assembly process
Warm your bread and make a cut lengthwise, however, do not cut it through. Smear your bread with some butter to provide extra richness, then, spread 1 tablespoon of remoulade along the base. Remoulade works really well for this purpose because it binds your bottom layer of vegetables in place.
Layering the ingredients in order
Put down a nice layer of your sliced pickles first and follow that up with the tomatoes and a big handful of shredded lettuce. Pile on as many hot crispy prawns as you can possibly fit without the bread completely breaking apart. It will be messy but that is honestly half the fun of eating this thing.
Adding the final touches and serving
Drizzle another generous amount of that tangy remoulade right over the top of the hot prawns before you close the lid. You really need to eat this immediately while the seafood is still crispy and the bread is warm. Grab some extra napkins because this gets everywhere and just dig in to enjoy your amazing homemade meal.
