How to fry shrimp
Deep-fry shrimp in oil at 375°F (190°C) for about 3–4 min (in batches; panko-breaded), until golden brown. Treat the time as a starting point. Shrimp, lobster and crab: cook until the flesh is pearly and opaque.
- Oil temperature
- 375°F (190°C)
- Method
- Deep fry
- Starting time
- 3–4 minin batches; panko-breaded
- Piece size
- large shrimp (26–30 per pound), peeled, tails on
- Done when
- golden brown
- Safe internal temp
- Pearly and opaque
Numbers from Taste of Home: Fried Shrimp · safe temperature from the FoodSafety.gov chart. Celsius values are rounded.
Getting it right
- Use a heavy, deep pot or a countertop fryer and fill it no higher than its safe fill line. The oil rises when food goes in.
- Clip a frying thermometer to the pot and bring the oil to 375°F (190°C). Keep the sensor in the oil, off the base of the pot.
- Pat the food dry before any coating. Water on the surface spits in hot oil and steams the crust soft.
- Lower a small batch in, away from you. The temperature will drop; adjust the burner so it climbs back toward the target.
- Lift out with a skimmer onto a rack over a tray, salt while hot, and let the oil recover before the next batch.
Why the temperature matters: oil that is too cool lets the coating soak up fat before it sets, so the outside goes heavy and pale. Oil that is too hot browns the outside before the middle is ready. The thermometer is how you hold the window between the two.