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Ale-Battered Shrimp with Tartar Sauce

4.0

(9)

Giving up fried shrimp is probably easier than giving up, say, chocolate cake, but only because so much fried shrimp is so badly prepared. Here is a terrific version, complete with tartar sauce for dipping.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Serves 6 as an appetizer

Ingredients

3/4 cup plus 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
3/4 cup amber ale, room temperature
4 large egg whites
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 pounds solid vegetable shortening (for frying)
1 1/2 pounds uncooked large shrimp, peeled, tails left intact, deveined

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Whisk 3/4 cup flour, ale, 2 egg whites, salt and pepper in medium bowl until smooth. Cover and let stand at room temperature 2 hours.

    Step 2

    Preheat oven to 250°F. Line baking sheet with paper towels. Beat remaining 2 egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form. Stir 1/3 of whites into ale batter, then fold in remaining whites.

    Step 3

    Melt shortening in heavy large pot over medium heat until thermometer registers 375°F.

    Step 4

    Meanwhile, place 1 cup flour in pie dish. Working in batches, coat shrimp with flour; shake off excess. Holding shrimp by tail, dip into batter until well coated. Carefully lower shrimp a few at a time into hot shortening. Fry until golden brown and cooked through, about 1 minute per side. Using tongs, transfer shrimp to prepared sheet. Keep warm in oven while cooking remaining shrimp. Serve shrimp with Tartar Sauce.

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