Crab Meat Stuffed Shrimp

Crab Meat Stuffed Shrimp is what you order when you go out to eat because you think it’s too difficult to make at home. Sweet Daddy D’s recipe for baked stuffed shrimp will change your mind. Large Gulf shrimp are surrounded in a crab meat stuffing seasoned with creole and cajun magic, then baked to golden perfection. You’ll love to make this no-angst recipe because it’s so simple, but best of all, your family and guests will go nuts with praise for the cook. 

[Publishers Note: I originally published this article in April 2018. I am publishing this update to provide some clarifications with step-by-step instructions and web-friendly photographs of each step. Let me know what you think.]

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Jump to:

• What's so special?
• Here's What You Need
• Here's What You Do
• Hints and Tips
• Recipe
• Comments or Questions?

What's so special?

Crab Meat Stuffed Shrimp brings two South Louisiana prizes together-fresh Gulf Shrimp and succulent crab meat from Louisiana Blue Crabs. These are the royalty of Louisiana seafood. They complement each other and blend perfectly with the seasonings that make our region shine. Given the popularity of shrimp and crab and the fact that Cajun and Creole cooks love to stuff things, it’s only natural that Stuffed Shrimp is a popular item on most restaurant menus in New Orleans and South Louisiana. It’s common to see Stuffed Shrimp as an entree and also an item on a seafood platter. If more people understood just how easy they are to make, Crab Meat Stuffed Shrimp would be a common item from the home kitchen.  

Here's What You Need

Equipment

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Here's What You Do

First...you have a beer. This recipe may seem like it should be complicated, but it really isn’t. Prep the shrimp. Make the stuffing, put them together and bake. It’s simple and no-angst if you prepare. The first thing? Open a beer and read the recipe all the way through while you sip. Learn what you need and what you will do with each ingredient. When you have that down, start with the shrimp.

Prepare the Shrimp

The idea is to prepare each shrimp so you can coat them with a stuffing mix. Start by peeling each shrimp. For a fancier presentation, you can leave the tail shell on if you want, but it’s not necessary. 

Devein and butterfly each shrimp by using a paring knife to make a slit about ⅓ to ½ way through the back of the shrimp. Rinse the shrimp in cold water and remove the black vein that runs along the back. Pat dry with a paper towel.

Place butterflied shrimp in a bowl and mix with 1 to 2 Tbs of creole seasoning. Set aside while you prepare the stuffing.

Prepare the Stuffing Ingredients

Start with the ingredients that will be sauteed: Finely chop the yellow onions and celery and place those together in a prep bowl. Finely chop the green onions and garlic and set them aside in separate bowls. Measure the butter and dry white wine (I use dry vermouth).

The remaining ingredients will go into their own prep bowls: the mayonnaise, bread crumbs, Worcestershire Sauce, hot sauce, lemon juice and the Kosher Salt and Black Ground Pepper. Scramble the egg in a small bowl. Place the crab meat into a large bowl in which you will blend all the other ingredients and gently separate it to make sure there are no shell pieces.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Cook the stuffing

Place a large saute pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Melt the butter until foaming, then add the yellow onions and celery and saute until just starting to soften, about 5 to 8 minutes.

Toss in the garlic and green onions and saute until aromatic, which should only take a couple of minutes.

Add the dry white wine, increase the heat so that it begins a heavy simmer. Continue to simmer until the wine has evaporated. Remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside until the onion mixture cools.

Once the onion mixture has cooled, add it to the crab meat and gently mix it all together with your hands or a rubber spatula so you don't break up the crab meat.

To this, add the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire, hot sauce, and scrambled egg. Carefully blend all of this together.

Gently incorporate ½ to ¾ cup of the bread crumbs with the crab meat until everything is well combined. At this point, the stuffing should stick tighter and form into a ball when pressed with your hands. Add a little more breadcrumbs if needed to get the right consistency. You can always add more, but you can't take it out!

Let the stuffing mixture sit for about 15 minutes while the flavors blend together.

“Stuff” the shrimp

Prepare a shallow baking dish with non-stick spray or a light coating of vegetable oil. Place about 1 cup of seasoned breadcrumbs in a shallow pan and set aside.

Take a shrimp in one hand and with the other hand mold about 2 tablespoons of the stuffing all around the shrimp from the head towards the tail, starting in the butterflied split you sliced in the back of the shrimp. Use more or less stuffing depending on the size of the shrimp.

Form a ball around the shrimp and gently press it together.

Roll the stuffed shrimp in the bread crumbs, coating thoroughly. Place it in the baking dish. This should make about 18 stuffed shrimp.

Place the shrimp in a 375-degree oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until starting to brown. Remove the baking dish from the oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes.

To serve, place a few Stuffed Shrimp on a dish with a squeeze of lemon and some tartar sauce. 

Hints and Tips

Do I have to use fresh shrimp?

No, this recipe can be made with frozen shrimp. Start by thawing the shrimp. If the shell is on, peel, clean and butterfly. Sometimes frozen shrimp have already been peeled and deveined, so if that’s the case, just thaw them out and rinse under cold water. (See the Hints and Tips below for more on thawing and butterflying the shrimp)

What does 16/20 Ct mean?

Shrimp are categorized by size. Ct stands for "count" and represents the approximately number of shrimp in each pound. 16/20 means there are 16 to 20 shrimp per pound. Compared to 36/40's for example (36 to 40 shrimp per pound), 16/20's are much larger. We want large shrimp for this recipe, so get the biggest ones available. Read this short article for more on shrimp sizing.

Can I freeze uncooked shrimp? 

Shrimp are highly perishable and should be consumed or frozen within a day or two of purchase. Fresh shrimp purchased at a grocery store has likely been frozen already and should not be re-frozen. It’s best to buy your shrimp from a seafood market or seller that you trust. Ask them if the shrimp have been previously frozen, and if not, it’s safe to freeze them. If you have shrimp with heads and shells, pop the heads off and freeze them with the shells on by placing them in a freezer bag filled with water and the air removed. Don't forget to save the heads and shells to make homemade shrimp stock. Just keep them in an airtight container in the freezer until you have enough.

What is the best way to thaw frozen shrimp?

Don’t thaw frozen shrimp until you are ready to cook them. Set the frozen shrimp in the refrigerator the evening before you want to cook them and they should be completely (or almost completely) thawed by the time you need them. For a quicker method, place the frozen shrimp in a bowl and place the bowl in the sink under a constant trickle of cold water. As the bowl fills up, the excess water will flow down the drain. Depending on the size and quantity of the shrimp, they should be thawed in about 20 to 30 minutes.

What does “butterfly” mean?

Many recipes, including this one, work well when the shrimp are “butterflied”. This is simply done by slicing down the length of the shrimp’s back with a sharp paring knife and spreading the shrimp open, resembling butterfly wings. It’s easy to clean and lets the seasonings and stuffing cover more surface area of the shrimp. 

How do I devein the shrimp?

The black vein that runs down the back of the shrimp, under the shell and just under the skin is actually the shrimp’s intestine. If you cook the shrimp without removing that, you will survive, but there is usually a gritty element in your bite. I prefer to remove that during the butterflying process. Slit the shrimp with the paring knife, then simply lift the vein out and wipe it on a paper towel to remove it. Rinse the shrimp under cold water and you will have a beautiful, clean shrimp, ready to cook and devour. 

How do I store leftover Crab Meat Stuffed Shrimp?

Leftover stuffed shrimp can be stored in the fridge for 2 to 3 days if kept in an airtight container. To reheat, place them in a 400-degree oven until warmed through, which will probably take 20 to 25 minutes. You can also slip them in the microwave but be careful not to overcook the shrimp. 

Leftover stuffed shrimp can also be frozen (even if the shrimp or crab meat was frozen when you bought it) if wrapped and placed in an airtight container or vacuum-sealed bag. The frozen stuffed shrimp should maintain its quality for about 60 days. You can reheat the frozen stuffed shrimp right from the freezer. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and place it in a 400-degree oven. Bake for about 30 minutes or until warmed all the way through.

What should I serve with Crab Meat Stuffed Shrimp?

Here are a few recipes from Sweet Daddy D that will go great with Crab Meat Stuffed Shrimp:

Don't forget these great sauces that will be perfect with Stuffed Shrimp:

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