Equipment
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 450 g large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed or left on based on preference
- 100 g scallions, cut into 5cm pieces, roots discarded
- 60 g unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
- 60 ml cayenne pepper hot sauce, vinegar-based, such as Frank's RedHot
- 15 ml neutral oil, canola, grapeseed, or avocado oil
- 3 g kosher salt, divided use
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 246 kcal
- Protein
- 23 g
- Carbohydrates
- 2 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 827 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 8 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 213 mg
- Potassium
- 391 mg
- Calcium
- 95 mg
- Iron
- 1.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 45 mg
- Phosphorus
- 255 mg
- Zinc
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 116 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 16 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 53 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.04 mg
- Niacin
- 0.2 mg
- Folate
- 17 mcg
- Water
- 127 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Thoroughly dry the peeled shrimp using paper towels to ensure they sear rather than steam. Toss them in a bowl with half of the kosher salt.
Place the cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the neutral oil and heat until shimmering and almost smoking, reaching approximately 200°C/400°F.
Add the scallion pieces in a single layer. Let them cook undisturbed until dark char marks appear on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Toss once, cook for 30 more seconds, then use tongs to transfer them to a plate.
In the same hot skillet, add the dried shrimp in a single layer. Cook for 2 minutes, then flip and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes until they are pink, opaque, and reach an internal temperature of 63°C/145°F.
Reduce the heat to the lowest setting or remove the skillet from the heat entirely. Add the cold cubed butter and hot sauce to the pan with the shrimp. Stir continuously and vigorously as the butter melts to create a glossy, emulsified sauce that coats the shrimp.
Return the charred scallions to the skillet. Toss everything together briefly so the scallions are warmed through and coated in the hot sauce emulsion. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Ensure your shrimp are bone-dry before they hit the skillet. Any excess surface moisture will drop the temperature of the oil, causing the shrimp to steam in their own juices rather than developing a savory exterior.
- The secret to a perfect wing-style sauce is temperature control. If the pan is too hot, the butter will break and turn into an oily slick. Using cold butter and residual heat guarantees a luxurious, clinging glaze.
- Do not crowd the pan when charring the scallions. They need direct contact with the hot cast iron to blister. If necessary, cook them in two batches.
- When selecting a hot sauce, look for a cayenne pepper base with a good amount of vinegar. This provides the necessary acidity to balance the richness of the butter and the sweetness of the shrimp.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The butter sauce will solidify when cold.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a skillet over very low heat just until warmed through to avoid rubbery shrimp and a broken sauce.
Troubleshooting
The sauce is greasy, separated, and pooling oil at the edges
Cause: The pan was too hot when the butter was added, causing the butter fat to separate from the liquid, breaking the emulsion
Fix: Add a splash of cold water (about 15ml) to the pan and whisk vigorously off the heat until the emulsion comes back together
Prevention: Always remove the pan from the heat entirely for a minute before adding the butter and hot sauce, and make sure your butter is cold
Shrimp are rubbery, tough, and tightly curled
Cause: The shrimp were overcooked, leaving them on the heat for too long
Fix: Cannot be fixed once overcooked
Prevention: Remove shrimp from the heat the moment they turn opaque, as they will continue to cook slightly in the residual heat of the sauce
Cultural Context
This dish draws deep inspiration from classic American Buffalo wing sauce, reimagining the iconic emulsion of hot sauce and butter for a lighter seafood application. By introducing aggressively charred scallions, it borrows subtle techniques from wok-cooking to add depth, dimension, and a smoky allium backbone to an otherwise intensely sharp and rich flavor profile.
