How do you fry shrimp?

Frying shrimp is very easy, and requires simple equipment and ingredients. 

Use shrimp that is U-15 or less.  Frying shrimp that are larger than U-15 will result in tough shrimp.  First, clean and devein the shrimp, and then set them aside.  

Then, heat vegetable, canola or peanut oil to 375 degrees.  These oils have a high smoke point (this is the temperature at which the oil will burn and smoke), and are good choices generally for frying.   Use a cast iron pan if you have one, or another good quality pan that retains heat evenly and well.  

While the oil is heating, prep the flour. The crispness of the shrimp will depend on the type of flour that you use.  All purpose flour is readily available, and results in a nice, crispy shrimp.  Using rice flour will result in even more crispy shrimp, although rice flour is available at Asian grocery stores and is not readily available at general grocery stores. Using corn starch will result in the crispiest shrimp.  For one pound of shrimp, use 2 cups of whatever type of flour (or cornstarch) that you would prefer, and season the flour liberally with salt and pepper, and add some red pepper flakes if you prefer a little bit of spice.  

At this point, dry the shrimp and dredge the shrimp in the flour in relatively small batches.  Set aside until the oil is ready.

Once the oil is at 375 degrees, put a few shrimp in the oil, being careful not to crowd the pan.  Too many shrimp in the oil will result in less crispy shrimp, as well as shrimp that is oily.  You should use your judgment on how many shrimp to add, depending on the size of the shrimp and the size of the pan.  The shrimp will take only a few minutes in the oil to be done, again depending on the size of the shrimp.  The shrimp will be done once it’s no longer translucent.  For shrimp that is 21/25 count or larger, using a spider (which is a type of skimmer) will make it easier to get the shrimp out of the pan.  Promptly after the shrimp is out of the pan, sprinkle salt on the shrimp and serve.