Calabash Seafood Restaurants Calabash-Style Fried Popcorn Shrimp delivers light, crisp seafood with delicate breading and coastal Carolina flavor.
Photo by SCRR
Copycat Calabash Seafood Restaurants Calabash-Style Fried Popcorn Shrimp
This Calabash-style popcorn shrimp is lightly dredged and quickly fried for a tender interior and airy crunch. It reflects the simple, seafood-first approach of coastal North Carolina cooking.
True Calabash seafood is not heavy or over-seasoned. The coating should be thin and crisp, not thick or bready. Fry hot and fast so the shrimp stay sweet and tender.
Quick Recipe Overview
- Best For: Seafood platters, family dinners, coastal spreads
- Flavor Profile: Lightly seasoned, crisp, clean shrimp flavor
- Skill Level: Easy to moderate – quick frying technique
- What Makes It Like the Restaurant: Thin cornmeal-flour coating and fast fry method
Calabash Seafood Restaurants
Calabash, North Carolina, is known for a distinct seafood style built on light dredging and quick frying. Calabash Seafood Restaurants helped popularize this method beyond the small fishing village where it began. The approach focuses on preserving the natural sweetness of seafood rather than masking it with heavy batter.
Over time, Calabash-style shrimp became synonymous with coastal Carolina dining, attracting visitors who travel specifically for this crisp, delicate preparation.
North Carolina’s Signature Light-Fried Shrimp
Calabash-style seafood originated along the North Carolina coast and is defined by a light flour and cornmeal dredge. Unlike thick beer batters, the coating remains thin and crisp, allowing seafood flavor to shine.
The shrimp are fried quickly in hot oil and served simply with lemon or cocktail sauce. The technique reflects coastal practicality and the region’s long-standing seafood traditions.
Calabash Seafood Restaurants Calabash-Style Fried Popcorn Shrimp Recipe
Calabash Seafood Restaurants Calabash-Style Fried Popcorn Shrimp delivers light, crisp seafood with delicate breading and coastal Carolina flavor.
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound Small Shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup Yellow Cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 cup Buttermilk
- Vegetable Oil for frying
- Lemon Wedges for serving
Instructions
- Pat shrimp dry thoroughly.
- Combine flour, cornmeal, kosher salt, black pepper and paprika in a shallow bowl.
- Pour buttermilk into a separate bowl.
- Dip shrimp into buttermilk, then dredge lightly in flour mixture. Shake off excess coating.
- Heat vegetable oil to 375°F in a heavy pot.
- Fry shrimp in small batches 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crisp. Do not overcrowd.
- Transfer to a rack or paper towels to drain.
- Taste. Add salt, to taste.
- Serve hot with lemon wedges.
Related Copycat Recipes
- Red Lobster Parrot Bay Coconut Shrimp – Golden, crunchy shrimp balanced by coconut sweetness and bold, beachy flavor.
- Red Lobster Maple Glazed Salmon and Shrimp – Sweet-leaning comfort seafood with a restaurant-style finish and crowd-pleasing balance.
- Gulf Coast Restaurant-Style Shrimp and Grits – Juicy shrimp served over creamy grits with rich Southern flavor
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Questions People Ask
What makes Calabash-style different? The coating is very light and delicate, not thick or doughy.
Can I use frozen shrimp? Yes. Thaw fully and pat dry before dredging.
Is cornmeal required? Yes. It provides the signature texture of the style.
What oil works best? Neutral oils like peanut or vegetable oil maintain clean flavor.
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Photo is by SCRR – created using ChatGPT. Photos may be representative of the recipe and not the actual finished dish. Recipe is original to Secret Copycat Restaurant Recipes. Recipe created by Secret Copycat Restaurant Recipes based on information from the restaurant and other sources on the internet – many courtesy of the Wayback Machine. Additional Information is from original research done by Secret Copycat Restaurant Recipes and/or courtesy of Wikipedia and is used by permission.
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