2011, Recipe 76: Spicy Shrimp Burgers

I'd never had a shrimp burger before... honestly, I don't like shrimp that much.  It is too often overcooked and I just like other seafood much better.  I'll eat shrimp (most often mixed with meat or other seafood) but if there are other choices, I'll go with those first.  The seafood I don't eat?  Scallops.  I haaaaate scallops.  No matter how many times I try them, I just don't like scallops.


Back to burgers!  I decided to make shrimp burgers and they were... well... I'll tell you later.  To the recipe!


Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray

• 1 pound raw peeled and deveined small shrimp
• 1 celery stalk with green, leafy tops, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 small to medium yellow skinned onion, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1 clove garlic
• A handful parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose seafood seasoning, found near fish department (recommended: Old Bay)
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
• 1 lemon, zested
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
• 4 English muffins, sandwich size plain or sour dough flavor
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise or reduced fat mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup chili sauce or salsa or taco sauce
• Butter or Boston lettuce leaves

Divide the shrimp in half. Put half the shrimp into a food processor and grind it up. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl using a rubber spatula. Add the whole shrimp to the bowl. Add celery, onion, bell pepper, garlic and parsley to the processor and pulse-grind it into a fine chop. Add the vegetable mixture to the shrimp. Add half a palm full of crab boil seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, lemon zest, salt and pepper to the bowl, to season. Stir the shrimp mixture to combine. 

Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan in a slow stream. Use a large metal scoop to scoop 4 mounds of shrimp burger mixture into the pan. Gently pat down to form patties. Fry patties 3 to 5 minutes on each side, until they firm up and the shrimp turn whitish-pink.


Split and toast the sandwich size English muffins. Mix mayonnaise and chili sauce, salsa or taco sauce. Place burgers on muffin bottoms and top with lettuce. Slather the top of the muffins with sauce and set in place.

Results: Y'all know I don't like mayo.  This is turning into a what Jameil doesn't like post.  Sorry!  Anyway, I used sour cream instead of mayo and it was delightful! You could also use yogurt.  I used regular buns as you see and romaine lettuce.  Now the shrimp are gummy when you bring them out of the processor.  I took the advice of a reviewer and added an egg which I think was unnecessary.  The panko suggestion from another reviewer was helpful.  These were delicious!!  I loved them!!  Great call, Jameil!

Bonus Recipe: Old Bay Seasoning
Recipe courtesy of Food.com

• 1 tablespoon celery seed (I used celery salt)
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorn
• 6 bay leaves (I just used 3)
• 1/2 teaspoon whole cardamom pod
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds (I used ground)
• 4 whole cloves (I used ground)
• 1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon mace (or allspice)

1) Place ingredients in a spice grinder or small food processor-grind well.

2) Store in a small glass. 

Results: Great!  I used it in my shrimp burger recipe because amazingly I had allll of these spices (and more), but no Old Bay. LOL  And I got to use my coffee grinder as a spice grinder for the first time.  The spices got EVERYWHERE.  Well all over the grinder.  I should definitely use it for coffee... except I don't use coffee.