Water Country Fried Shrimp

Sorry if the name of this dish put the jingle into the heads of any New Englanders. But no matter whether Water Country describes a water park or your coastal hometown, Water Country Fried Shrimp is to die for! Beautifully breaded, golden-brown, crispy on the outside, and that wonderful tender, sweet and savory shrimp flavor on the inside… you won’t even need cocktail sauce to enjoy them (but if you want it, go for it)! Quick and so snackable, Water Country Fried Shrimp will be having some fun with you!

Ingredients

For the shrimp:

• peanut oil, to, taste
• 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 large eggs
• water, to taste
• 3 cups plain panko breadcrumbs

For serving:

• parsley, optional, to taste, chopped
• lemon wedges, optional, to taste
• cocktail sauce, optional, to taste

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Directions

Step 1 –Preheat about 3 inches of the peanut oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 2 –Dry the shrimp well with paper towels.

Step 3 –In a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag, add the flour, the garlic powder, the onion powder, the salt, and the pepper, sealing the bag and tossing the ingredients to combine.

Step 4 –Add the shrimp to the bag and shake the bag while sealed to coat the shrimp.

Step 5 –In a shallow bowl whisk the eggs with a little bit of the water until combined.

Step 6 –In a separate shallow bowl, add the breadcrumbs.

Step 7 –Take a few of the shrimp out of the bag at a time and place them into the beaten egg mixture, tossing to coat.

Step 8 –Let any excess egg mixture drip off the shrimp and then place them into the breadcrumbs. Cover the shrimp with the breadcrumbs and gently press them down, so the breadcrumbs adhere.

Step 9 –Place the breaded shrimp onto a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and repeat the breading process with the remaining shrimp.

Step 10 –Add the shrimp to the oil in batches, making sure not to overcrowd them, and cook until the breading is golden-brown and the shrimp reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F, about 2-3 minutes.

Step 11 –Place the shrimp onto a paper-towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.

Step 12 –Repeat the frying process with the remaining shrimp.

Step 13 –Serve the shrimp with the parsley, the lemon wedges, and the cocktail sauce.