Let the good times roll with a flavor-rich grilled shrimp and andouille po boy!
According to John Mariani in his thoroughly researched book How Italian Food Conquered the World,
New Orleans barbecue shrimp was created by Pascal’s Manale restaurant when it opened in Uptown in 1913. The problem with the original: it is never barbecued. It is cooked in a pan! We’re going to make the classic pan-cooked “barbecue” shrimp honest, and grill them.
The Po Boy is the New Orleans version of the sub/hero/hoagie sandwich. It starts with a foot-long “stick” of “baguette,” but half sticks of 6 inches are common. I put the word baguette in quotes because it is really nothing like the original from France. The crust is softer, and the interior is cottony. Most are loaded with a meat or two and “dressed,” which means they are loaded with lettuce, tomato, pickles, mayonnaise, and thinly sliced onions. For the meat, hot-breaded and fried shrimp, catfish, oysters, crab, crawfish, and chicken breast are popular. Roast beef, sliced so thin that it crumbles and is called “garbage,” with spicy whole-grain Creole mustard is standard. But andouille, a spicy coarse ground Cajun pork sausage, and “barbecue shrimp” are killer, especially when teamed. Laissez les bons temps rouler! Let the good times roll!
BBQ Shrimp & Andouille Po Boy Recipe
Makes:
a well-stuffed two-foot sandwichTakes:
Equipment
- Slotted spatula or spoon
- Grill topper, if your shrimp are small
Ingredients
- 2 batches New Orleans Barbecue Sauce
- ¼ wedge of iceberg lettuce
- 1 small red onion
- 1 meaty tomato
- 2 feet of soft crust French bread loaf
- 12 inches andouille sausage
- 3 tablespoons good olive oil
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
These recipes were created in US Customary measurements and the conversion to metric is being done by calculations. They should be accurate, but it is possible there could be an error. If you find one, please let us know in the comments at the bottom of the page
Method
- Prep. Prepare the barbecue sauce and warm it.
- Thinly slice the lettuce and the onions, and chop the tomato.
- Cut the bread into 6 or 12 inch (15 or 30 cm) sections. Slice it lengthwise. Be careful to not ruin the crust as you either press in the bread or pluck some out to make canoes that will hold in the ample fillings.
- Fire up. Prepare the grill for low heat cooking.
- Cook. Grill the cut side of the bread over low heat until it starts to brown. Leave the lid open and watch that bread as if it was your last meal. A tiny bit of char is OK but don’t let it burn, and it will burn if you turn your back, and if you walk away it will go up in flames.
- Increase the heat of the grill to about 325°F (163°C) in the direct zone, about medium. Put the andouille on the grill over direct heat and roll it around until it browns and hits 160°F (71°C) interior temp. Most of the time we overcook sausage on the grill, so use a thermometer for a change. Don't overcook if you want juicy sausage! Set aside and let it cool a bit, then slice it on an angle into ¼ inch (6.3 mm) coins.
- Remember the shrimp must be peeled and deveined. Brush the shrimp with vegetable oil or melted butter to prevent sticking. If they are small, use a grill topper. Grill about three to four minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the shrimp. When one side turns pink and gets some grill marks, flip them. As soon as the interior of the shrimp is pearly and opaque throughout, and you may need to slice one to check, get them off the grill. Do not overcook.
- Serve. Toss the shrimp in the warm sauce to coat. Add the sliced andouille into the bath. Spoon plenty of shrimp, sausage slices, and some sauce onto the bread. Top with lettuce, tomato, and sliced onion. Have lots of napkins on hand.
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