New England Baked Stuffed Shrimp with Buttery Ritz Cracker Stuffing

Why you’ll love it

• Restaurant classic at home: the famous New England seafood-house dish for a fraction of the price.
• Juicy and crunchy: tender shrimp under a buttery, golden cracker crust.
• Fast and special: about 40 minutes, yet elegant enough for holidays and guests.

Quick facts

Ingredients

For the shrimp

• 1 1/4 lb (570 g) jumbo raw shrimp, 16 to 20 per pound (about 20 shrimp), peeled and deveined, tails left on
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

For the cracker stuffing

• 4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter
• 1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tbsp)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 sleeves (about 48 crackers / 150 g) Ritz or other buttery round crackers, finely crushed (about 2 cups crumbs)
• 1/4 cup (25 g) finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) dry sherry or dry white wine
• 2 to 3 tbsp (30 to 45 ml) water or seafood stock, as needed

For the baking dish

• 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) dry white wine or water
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Step-by-step method

1. Prepare the oven and dish. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat it to 400°F (200°C). Lightly butter a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish or 4 individual gratin dishes.

2. Butterfly the shrimp. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. With a small sharp knife, cut along the inside curve of each shrimp (the side with the legs), about three-quarters of the way through, without cutting it in half. Open each shrimp like a book and press it flat. Arrange them cut side up in the dish, tails curled up, and season with the salt and pepper.

3. Cook the aromatics. In a medium skillet over medium-low heat, melt the 4 tablespoons of butter. Add the shallot and cook 2 minutes, until soft, then add the garlic and cook 30 seconds, until fragrant. Remove from the heat.

4. Make the stuffing. Add the crushed crackers, Parmesan, parsley, lemon zest, paprika and cayenne to the skillet and stir until the crumbs are evenly moistened with butter. Stir in the sherry, then add water or stock 1 tablespoon at a time, just until the stuffing holds together when you squeeze a little in your hand.

5. Stuff the shrimp. Mound about 1 heaping tablespoon of stuffing on each shrimp and press it gently so it sticks. Curl the tail up and over the stuffing.

6. Add the butter sauce. Stir together the melted butter, white wine and lemon juice. Spoon a little over the top of each shrimp and pour the rest into the bottom of the dish.

7. Bake. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and opaque and the stuffing is golden brown. For a crispier top, broil 1 minute at the end, watching closely.

8. Serve. Sprinkle with a little more parsley and serve right away with lemon wedges, spooning the garlic butter from the dish over each portion.

How to know it is done

The shrimp are cooked when the flesh under the stuffing turns from gray and translucent to pink and opaque all the way through, the tails are bright pink and the shrimp feel firm but still springy when pressed. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a shrimp should read 145°F (63°C). The stuffing should be golden and crisp on top, and the butter in the dish should be bubbling. Do not overbake: shrimp turn tough and rubbery in just a few extra minutes.

Tips for the best result

• Buy jumbo shrimp (16/20 or 13/15 per pound); smaller shrimp overcook before the stuffing browns.
• Dry the shrimp very well so the stuffing sticks and the dish does not get watery.
• Crush the crackers finely in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin, leaving just a few small pieces for texture.
• Add the liquid little by little: the stuffing should be moist enough to hold together, but never pasty.
• Do not add extra salt to the stuffing; the crackers and Parmesan already bring plenty.

Variations and substitutions

• Crab-stuffed: fold 4 oz (115 g) lump crabmeat, picked over for shell, into the stuffing.
• With scallops: finely chop 4 oz (115 g) bay scallops and add them to the stuffing, as many Rhode Island restaurants do.
• Old Bay twist: replace the paprika with 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning.
• No alcohol: use seafood stock or clam juice instead of the sherry and wine.
• Gluten-free: use gluten-free buttery crackers and check that your stock is gluten-free.
• Panko version: use 1 1/2 cups (90 g) panko instead of the crackers and add 1/4 tsp kosher salt to the stuffing.

Make ahead

Make the stuffing up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate it in an airtight container. You can also butterfly the shrimp, stuff them and arrange them in the dish up to 4 hours ahead; cover tightly and keep them in the refrigerator. Add the butter sauce just before baking and add 2 to 3 minutes to the baking time if the dish goes straight from the refrigerator into the oven.

Storage and reheating

Baked stuffed shrimp are best eaten fresh. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat them in a covered baking dish in a 325°F (165°C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes, just until warmed through, then uncover for the last 2 minutes to re-crisp the topping. Avoid the microwave, which makes the shrimp rubbery. Freezing cooked stuffed shrimp is not recommended.