How Louisiana Cooks Shrimp Every Which Way

(KMDL-FM) When it comes to Louisiana food, shrimp and crawfish seem to get the highest billing among the voracious appetites that make up our food scene along the bayou. And when you combine Cajun ingenuity with fresh seafood, you’re going to get a lot of different ways to enjoy that seafood.

It's Almost Time For the Delcambre Shrimp Festival - Are You Ready?

For today’s exercise, we’re going to focus on shrimp. We do have the Delcambre Shrimp Festival coming up, so now would be a great time to start planning your strategy for eating your way up and down the concession stands that line the midway on the festival grounds.

Almost all of us who eat shrimp have more than one way we like to enjoy it. Whether it's fried to a golden brown, seasoned and boiled to a tender taste, interspersed with roux and spices for a gumbo, or bolstered with butter for an intoxicating etouffee, we are all about the shrimp.

How Much Shrimp Does the Average American Eat in a Year?

The average American, not just Louisiana but we’re including Nebraska, Kansas, and one of those other square states in this data, will eat between four and six pounds of shrimp annually. In Louisiana, I think that amount would be per serving, but we like shrimp because it’s good and we are blessed that it’s plentiful.

As far as seafood tastes around the country go, shrimp is at the top of the heap. It’s preferred over salmon and tuna by almost two to one.

It offers not only great protein but also contributes to a healthy diet, and it can also add an air of sophistication to almost any gathering. Is there anything more elegant than a shrimp cocktail served in a crystal glass?

Alright, you’ve had a few minutes to think about it, and I am sure you’ve formed your opinion on your favorite way to enjoy shrimp. Here’s our list. They are in no particular order because every item on the list is somebody’s number one choice.

Louisiana's 10 Favorite Ways to Cook and Enjoy Shrimp

The Gulf is full of them, and we'd like our bellies to be full of them too. We are talking about shrimp; it's a staple in our Louisiana diet, and it goes so well with rice and spice and all of the other things Louisiana is known for. What's your favorite way to enjoy fresh Gulf shrimp? I bet we have it listed below, and if we don't, you better send us a note and tell us about it.

Gallery Credit: Bruce Mikells