Shrimp Po’ Boy

If you've never had an iconic Louisiana po' boy, this classic fried shrimp version is a great place to start. With crispy fried shrimp, a homemade remoulade, and plenty of fresh veggies, this sandwich will take you to the fern and Spanish moss-lined streets of NOLA in seconds flat.

Louisiana-made Crystal Hot Sauce is a natural pairing for this sandwich — keep a bottle on the table for spice-lovers to add their own. Keep reading on for more of our top tips on how to ace this classic sandwich:

What is a po’ boy?
As legend goes, the po’ boy, or “poor boy” sandwich originated during the streetcar worker strike of 1929 in New Orleans. Two brothers, Bennie and Clovis Martin—former streetcar workers themselves—owned a cafe/restaurant and pledged to give the striking car men free meals for the duration of the strike. They worked with the bakery supplying their bread to create a loaf that was longer and wider than the standard French baguettes and loaves that taper off at the end. They came up with something they could cheaply make many sandwiches out of, and the po’ boy we know today was born.

Dressed with crunchy shredded iceberg, juicy tomatoes, and a creamy and briny remoulade sauce, this sandwich can have different fillings, but we chose to highlight the classic fried shrimp version here.

The best bread for a po’ boy:
Outside of Louisiana and the states surrounding it, that infamous po' boy bread can be hard to come by. If you can't find any, you'll want to seek out something as close to its light, airy texture and thin, crispy crust, like a French hero, baguette, or ciabatta. You could even make your own if you feel like getting fancy.

The shrimp:
We used medium-sized shrimp, peeled and deveined in this recipe. We dredged our shrimp with buttermilk and cornmeal before frying, resulting in flavorful, extra-crispy shrimp with that ideal crust. Our hot tip for the crispiest shrimp? Peanut oil will get your shrimp super crispy, but it is a little pricier and harder to find than vegetable oil. Either will work in this recipe, so feel free to use whatever you have on hand.

The sauce:
Don’t sleep on the remoulade! Its particular combo of flavors is imperative to the signature taste of a po’ boy, and it’s much easier to make homemade than you may think. Make extra, then use it to pair with tater tots, chicken burgers, or fried okra.

Pickle hater? Skip it, or add a few minced capers instead.

Made this? Let us know how it went in the comment section below!