The Only Type Of Breadcrumbs You Should Be Using For Fried Shrimp

A crisp golden-brown fried shrimp is a wonderful thing. And perhaps the only thing better that said fried shrimp is a whole plate of them — preferably with some lovely sauces for dipping. But when it comes to frying up a batch of shrimp, not just any coating will do. For the ideal crispy crustaceans, there's no choice but panko.

Sure, you can coat your shrimp in any of the many types of breadcrumbs before tossing them into the oil, and they will still take on that gorgeous golden hue as they cook, but that first bite is sure to disappoint — if you've ever had panko-fried shrimp, at least. The difference between panko and regular breadcrumbs is that the unique production method of panko creates a breadcrumb that is crisp right out of the box. Panko breadcrumbs are produced by a very specific method in which bread is actually cooked using electric current, rather than the ambient heat of a traditional oven. This creates a crustless bread that is allowed to turn stale before it is ground into the airy, extra-crisp breadcrumbs that are the perfect complement to tender, succulent shrimp.

With a coating of humdrum regular bread crumbs, your shrimp need a long trip to the fryer to properly crisp up. With panko, on the other hand, that crisp is there from the start, and the time in the fryer only serves to magnify the effect. If crispy is the goal — and it always is with fried shrimp — there's a clear winner in this competition.

But there is more to frying shrimp than just picking the right ground-up stale bread to slap on the outside. For one thing, you need to figure out how you're going to stick those bits of old bread on the outside of your protein. 

You have a couple of options for adhering the panko to your shrimp. You can stick with the classic technique, dredging the shrimp in seasoned flour and then beaten egg before dropping them in the breadcrumbs, as in this panko fried shrimp recipe. This is a tried-and-true technique, and will work a treat, but it does take some effort and dirty a few plates. Not to mention that it'll also cover your hands in a thick layer of flour and egg. Another adhesive option is to whip up a quick batter. You can essentially combine the seasoned flour and eggs in a bowl with a bit of water and whisk it all together to make a simple one-stop dip for your shrimp. Just coat them in this thin batter, allow the excess to drip off, and then dredge them in the panko.

After that, there's nothing to do but fry the shrimp in hot oil. Bring your pot of oil up to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and drop the shrimp in a few at a time, so that you don't crowd the pan. Once they're golden-brown on the outside, carefully remove them and allow excess oil to drain off. Ideally, you've already dished out a few of the best sauces to pair with seafood into dip-ready ramekins, so that the second those crispy panko shrimp cool down, you are ready to dig in.