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Hot Honey Fried Shrimp

Hot honey fried shrimp are coated in a crisp cornmeal crust and fried until golden. A warm honey, hot sauce, cayenne, and vinegar drizzle adds a sweet-spicy finish.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Southern
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the shrimp
  • 1 lb shrimp large raw (16 to 20 per pound), peeled and deveined, tails removed
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup cornmeal fine yellow
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 eggs large
  • 0.33 cup buttermilk
  • 4 cup vegetable oil for frying
For the hot honey
  • 0.33 cup honey
  • 1 tbsp hot sauce
  • 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Equipment

  • 2 shallow dish
  • 1 12-inch heavy skillet
  • 1 small saucepan

Method
 

Prepare the shrimp
  1. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.
  2. In a shallow dish, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.
  3. In a second shallow dish, whisk the eggs and buttermilk until combined.
  4. Dip each shrimp in the egg mixture, let the excess drip off, then coat in the flour mixture and place on a clean plate.
  5. Heat the oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat to 350°F, checking the temperature with a deep-fry thermometer.
  6. Fry the shrimp in batches without crowding the skillet, turning once, for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side, until golden and the centers reach 145°F; transfer to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet.
Make the hot honey
  1. Stir the honey, hot sauce, cayenne, and apple cider vinegar in a small saucepan over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until warm and pourable; do not boil.
  2. Drizzle the hot honey over the shrimp and serve immediately.

Notes

For an even crust, let excess egg mixture drip off before coating the shrimp. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days; freezing is not recommended because the coating can lose its crispness. For a gluten-free adaptation, use gluten-free all-purpose flour.