Brennan's Texas Creole Barbecued Shrimp

This is what happens when Texas swagger meets New Orleans soul in the kitchen.

Brennan’s barbecued shrimp aren’t smoked or grilled. The “barbecue” is a concentrated sauce base built from lemons, coarse black pepper, Worcestershire, garlic, and seafood seasoning, reduced until it’s punchy and intense.

Big, meaty shrimp get a quick sear with poblano and red bell peppers, then that sauce base goes in along with a pour of heavy cream.

A few minutes of simmering and you’ve got shrimp in a spicy, tangy, creamy sauce that begs to be sopped up with cornbread.

Kitchen Tips

• Use large (16-20 count) shrimp. They hold up to the bold sauce and have more satisfying bite than smaller ones.
• The sauce base can be made well ahead. Reduce it, strain it, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• Don’t overcook the shrimp. They go from succulent to rubbery in about 60 seconds. Pull them the moment they curl and turn pink.
• Serve with cornbread pudding and a crisp jicama salad as the original suggests. The cool crunch of jicama is the perfect foil for all that rich, peppery sauce.