WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
To capture the flavor of South Carolina’s famous shrimp burgers, we keep things simple to let the sweetness of the shrimp shine. We found that finely grinding a portion of the shrimp in a food processor yielded a sticky paste that—with a little help from some mayonnaise—effectively bound the rest of the chopped shrimp without the need for eggs or a bready binder. We keep the seasonings light, using just salt, pepper, and cayenne and folding chopped scallions into the mix for a jolt of freshness. To mimic the crunchy exterior of deep-fried shrimp burgers, we first grind panko to a fine powder before coating the burgers and sautéing them to a golden brown. We top the burgers with a rich, tangy five-ingredient tartar sauce
INGREDIENTS
TARTAR SAUCE
¾ cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons finely chopped dill pickles plus 1 teaspoon brine
1 small shallot, minced
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and chopped fine
¼ teaspoon pepper
BURGERS
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 ¼ pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp (26 to 30 per pound), tails removed
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
¼ teaspoon pepper
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 scallions, chopped fine
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 hamburger buns
4 leaves Bibb lettuce
INSTRUCTIONS
FOR THE TARTAR SAUCE: Combine all ingredients in bowl and refrigerate until needed.
FOR THE BURGERS: Pulse panko in food processor until finely ground, about 15 pulses; transfer to shallow dish. Place one-third of shrimp (1 cup), mayonnaise, pepper, salt, and cayenne in now-empty processor and pulse until shrimp are finely chopped, about 8 pulses. Add remaining two-thirds of shrimp (2 cups) to shrimp mixture in processor and pulse until coarsely chopped, about 4 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer shrimp mixture to bowl and stir in scallions.
Divide shrimp mixture into four 3/4-inch-thick patties (about 1/2 cup each). Working with 1 patty at a time, dredge both sides of patties in panko, pressing lightly to adhere, and transfer to plate.
Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Place patties in skillet and cook until golden brown on first side, 3 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip and continue to cook until shrimp registers 140 to 145 degrees and second side is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes longer. Transfer burgers to paper towel–lined plate and let drain, about 30 seconds per side. Spread tartar sauce on bun bottoms, then place burgers and lettuce on top. Cover with bun tops. Serve.