Shrimp or Crawfish Etouffee with Shell Stock
Not rated yet. Be the first.
Stir the roux until it turns the color of a new penny, and don't answer the door, because everyone has burned one once. Then come the trinity, the shell stock and the shrimp or crawfish, spooned over rice.
The short version
Simmer the shrimp shells into a quick stock, stir butter and flour into a copper-brown roux, soften onion, celery and pepper in it, then add stock and simmer 20 minutes. Stir in the seafood for the last 5 minutes and serve over rice with scallions.
What makes ours better
small changes, very loud compliments
-
Make stock from the shells. Simmering the shells for 15 minutes gives the sauce a real shrimp flavor. Water or boxed broth tastes flat beside it. With crawfish tails there are no shells, so use 3 cups of seafood stock instead.
-
Take the roux to copper. Cooking butter and flour for about 15 to 20 minutes until it turns the color of a copper penny gives a nutty depth that a blond roux won't. Keep the heat medium and keep stirring.
-
Brine the shrimp in salt and a pinch of baking soda. Fifteen minutes seasons them and keeps them snappy rather than rubbery in the hot sauce.
-
Add tomato paste and finish with butter and scallions. A spoonful of paste gives color and body without tomato flavor taking over, and a pat of butter at the end makes the sauce glossy.
What you need
check the pantry before you promise anyone
- Large shell-on shrimp2 pounds
- Bay leaves1 large
- Celery ribs2 large
- Green bell pepper1 large
- Tomato paste2 tablespoons
- Dried thyme1 teaspoon
- Hot sauce1 teaspoon
- Scallions4 large
Shrimp
Shell stock
Roux and sauce
To finish
tap each one as it goes in. no double-salting.
Steps
go slow. the good part can’t be rushed.
-
Shell and brine the shrimp
Peel the shrimp and keep every shell. Devein if you like. Toss the shrimp with the 1 teaspoon salt and the baking soda in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes. If you're using crawfish tails, skip this step and keep them cold.
About 15 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
-
Simmer the shell stock
Put the shells, 1 quart of water and one bay leaf in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, then strain through a sieve, pressing on the shells. You need about 3 cups. Top up with water if you're short.
Start the rice now so it's ready when the etouffee is.
About 15 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
-
Cook the roux
Melt the 6 tablespoons butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly with a flat wooden spoon, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the roux turns the color of a copper penny and smells nutty.
If you see black flecks or smell something sharp, start over. Burnt roux can't be saved.
About 18 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
-
Soften the vegetables
Add the onion, celery and bell pepper to the roux along with ½ teaspoon of the salt. Stir for 6 to 8 minutes, until soft and the roux has deepened a shade. Add the garlic, tomato paste, thyme, paprika and cayenne and cook 1 minute more.
About 8 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
-
Add the stock and simmer
Pour in the stock a cup at a time, whisking after each until smooth. Add the Worcestershire, hot sauce, the second bay leaf and the rest of the salt. Bring to a simmer, then cook gently, partly covered, for 20 minutes, stirring often, until it coats the back of a spoon.
About 20 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
-
Add the seafood
Stir in the shrimp, or crawfish tails if you're using them. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and firm. Crawfish tails only need to heat through. Take the pot off the heat and remove the bay leaf.
Overcooked shrimp turn tough, so take the pot off as soon as they curl.
About 5 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
-
Finish and serve
Stir in the 2 tablespoons butter, half the scallions and half the parsley. Taste and add salt or hot sauce. Spoon over rice and top with the rest of the scallions and parsley.
Good to know
things I learned the hard way, so you can skip that part
- Etouffee should be thick like gravy, not soupy. If it's too thin, simmer it 5 more minutes before adding the seafood. If it's too thick, add stock a few tablespoons at a time.
- Cut the cayenne to ¼ teaspoon for a mild version, or double it and pass more hot sauce at the table.
- Crawfish tails sold with the fat are best here. If you're using frozen ones, add the fat from the package to the sauce too.
- You can make the sauce through step 5 up to 2 days ahead. Reheat gently and add the seafood just before serving.
- Storage. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The sauce tastes better the next day, but reheat gently over low heat with a splash of water. Freeze the sauce without the seafood for up to 3 months.
Questions, answered
asked and answered at the kitchen counter
What is etouffee?
A Louisiana dish where shellfish, usually crawfish or shrimp, are smothered in a roux-thickened sauce with onion, celery and bell pepper and served over rice. Etouffee means smothered in French.
What's the difference between etouffee and gumbo?
Etouffee is thicker, built on a lighter roux, and is served as a main over rice. Gumbo is a soupier stew with a darker roux and usually more ingredients, like okra and sausage.
How dark should the roux be for etouffee?
Copper penny to light milk chocolate. A paler roux makes a lighter sauce and a darker one a nuttier sauce, but too dark and it won't thicken as well.
Can I make etouffee without a roux?
You can, with a cornstarch slurry, but you'll lose the nutty flavor. The roux is the point.
Can I use frozen crawfish tails?
Yes. Thaw and drain them, keep the fat if the package has it, and add them at the end just to heat through.
How do I know when the shrimp are done?
They turn pink and opaque and curl into a loose C. A tight, rubbery curl means they're overcooked.
From the table
Made it? I want the full report: first bite, best compliment, and who tried to take the leftovers home.
Made it?
tell me the truth, then tell me who had thirds
Tap a star
- No reviews yet. Yours would be the first, and I’d read it twice.
Find it in
Published October 29, 2026.