This scorpion tails recipe makes crisp, deep-fried jalapeños stuffed with Cajun-seasoned shrimp, Monterey Jack, and cream cheese. Whole pickled peppers give each bite a tangy kick, while three light flour coatings surround the creamy filling with a golden crust. Serve them hot with homemade ranch dressing.
If you enjoy fried jalapeño poppers, this shrimp-filled version belongs on your appetizer table. The recipe makes 16 stuffed jalapeños, with 35 minutes of prep and about 20-25 minutes of cooking, depending on your batch size.
I first encountered these shrimp-and-cheese-stuffed peppers while waitressing at a jazz-themed restaurant on Galveston's Strand in the '90s. Later, Pappy's Cafe in Houston became another favorite place to enjoy them. That combination of tangy pepper, creamy filling, and crisp coating is what I wanted to bring into my own kitchen.
Ingredients
Use large whole pickled jalapeños, rather than sliced pickled rings. Each pepper needs enough room for cheese and a shrimp while still closing around the filling.
- 1 pound jumbo shrimp, about 16, peeled and deveined
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- Cajun seasoning, to taste, for the shrimp
- 16 large whole pickled jalapeños, drained
- 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, for the breading
- Neutral oil, enough for deep frying
- Homemade ranch dressing, for serving
Ingredient shopping links: whole pickled jalapeños, jumbo shrimp, butter, Monterey Jack, cream cheese, garlic, eggs, milk.
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Tools You'll Need
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Cutting board
- Paring knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowl and sturdy spoon
- Two shallow breading dishes
- Whisk
- Toothpicks, if needed
- Heavy pot for deep frying
- Deep-fry thermometer
- Spider strainer or slotted spoon
- Wire rack
- Plain white serving platter and dip bowl
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Buy Now → How to Make Scorpion Tails
1. Prep the peppers and filling
Heat the oven to 425°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut a lengthwise slit down one side of each jalapeño, leaving the opposite side intact. Carefully remove the seeds and inner membranes, then pat the peppers dry inside and out. Stir the Monterey Jack, cream cheese, and garlic together until evenly combined.
2. Bake the shrimp
Blot the shrimp dry, coat with the melted salted butter and Cajun seasoning to taste, and spread in a single layer on the prepared sheet. Bake for about 6 minutes, until opaque throughout and gently curved. Let cool until comfortable to handle.
3. Fill the jalapeños
Divide the cheese filling among the peppers. Press one shrimp into each pepper and bring the cut edges together as closely as possible. Secure crosswise with a toothpick if needed. If a pepper will not close, ease back on the filling instead of stretching the opening.
4. Add the seasoned coating
Beat the eggs with the milk in a shallow dish. In another dish, mix the flour with 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning. Coat each pepper in flour, dip in egg, and coat with flour again. Repeat the egg dip and finish with a third flour coating, pressing gently. The order is flour → egg → flour → egg → flour.
5. Fry, drain, and serve
Pour enough neutral oil into a heavy pot to submerge the peppers, keeping the pot no more than half full. Heat to 350°F. Carefully remove any toothpicks while supporting the peppers to keep the filling enclosed. Lower a few peppers into the oil at a time. Fry for about 5 minutes, turning as needed, until golden brown and hot in the center. Let the oil return to 350°F between batches. Transfer to a wire rack over a baking sheet, then serve promptly with ranch dressing.
A Few Tricks for a Crisp Coating
- Dry the pickled peppers thoroughly. Brine left in the cavity can loosen the filling and make the breading harder to keep in place.
- Keep the slit on one side only. The intact side acts like a hinge as you close the pepper around the filling.
- Press the final flour layer gently onto damp spots so the coating surrounds the pepper.
- Fry in small batches and let the oil recover to 350°F. Crowding the pot makes it harder to keep a steady frying temperature.
- Drain on a rack so the bottoms do not sit in trapped steam.
Can You Make Them Ahead?
Stuff the peppers up to 1 day ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Bread them shortly before frying.
The Best Way to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat on a rack in a 375°F oven until hot throughout, about 10-15 minutes. Microwaving will soften the coating.
Can You Freeze Scorpion Tails?
Cool the fried peppers, freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in a 375°F oven until the centers are hot, about 20-25 minutes. The peppers will soften slightly after freezing.
A Few Easy Substitutions
Use pepper Jack in place of Monterey Jack for more heat. Smaller shrimp can be used; add enough to each pepper to fill it without forcing the opening apart. Choose a lower-sodium Cajun seasoning if desired, since the pickled peppers and cheeses already contribute salt.
What to Serve with Scorpion Tails
Set out homemade ranch dressing for a cool dip, or try creamy Cajun remoulade. Blue cheese dressing also works well. For a meal, add creamy coleslaw and a green salad.
Homemade Ranch Dressing
Cajun Remoulade Sauce
Classic Creamy Coleslaw
For more tailgate recipe ideas, pair these with buffalo wings. Fry the scorpion tails close to serving time for the best coating.
Questions Before You Start
Are scorpion tails made with scorpion peppers?
No. This recipe uses whole pickled jalapeños stuffed with shrimp and cheese. Scorpion peppers are not an ingredient.
Can I bake or air-fry the stuffed peppers instead?
This version is tested with deep frying at 350°F. The shrimp are baked first, but the coated peppers are fried. Baking or air-frying times for the finished stuffed peppers have not been established for this recipe.
Why is the breading slipping off?
Start by checking for leftover brine inside the pepper and gaps in the coating. Pat each pepper dry, follow the flour-egg-flour-egg-flour sequence, and press the last flour layer gently into place.
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Fried Jalapeño Poppers
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For another crisp, savory side to a seafood spread, try my jalapeño hush puppies.
PrintScorpion Tails
These scorpion tails pack Cajun shrimp and creamy cheese inside pickled jalapeños, fried until golden and crisp. Serve with ranch for a bold party appetizer.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 16 stuffed jalapeños 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Deep Frying
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 pound jumbo shrimp, about 16, peeled and deveined
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- Cajun seasoning, to taste, for the shrimp
- 16 large whole pickled jalapeños, drained
- 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, for the breading
- Neutral oil, enough for deep frying
- Homemade ranch dressing, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut a lengthwise slit down one side of each jalapeño, leaving the opposite side intact. Carefully remove the seeds and inner membranes, then pat the peppers dry inside and out. Stir the Monterey Jack, cream cheese, and garlic together until evenly combined.
- Blot the shrimp dry, coat with the melted salted butter and Cajun seasoning to taste, and spread in a single layer on the prepared sheet. Bake for about 6 minutes, until opaque throughout and gently curved. Let cool until comfortable to handle.
- Divide the cheese filling among the peppers. Press one shrimp into each pepper and bring the cut edges together as closely as possible. Secure crosswise with a toothpick if needed. If a pepper will not close, ease back on the filling instead of stretching the opening.
- Beat the eggs with the milk in a shallow dish. In another dish, mix the flour with 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning. Coat each pepper in flour, dip in egg, and coat with flour again. Repeat the egg dip and finish with a third flour coating, pressing gently. The order is flour → egg → flour → egg → flour.
- Pour enough neutral oil into a heavy pot to submerge the peppers, keeping the pot no more than half full. Heat to 350°F. Carefully remove any toothpicks while supporting the peppers to keep the filling enclosed. Lower a few peppers into the oil at a time. Fry for about 5 minutes, turning as needed, until golden brown and hot in the center. Let the oil return to 350°F between batches. Transfer to a wire rack over a baking sheet, then serve promptly with ranch dressing.
Notes
Cooking time: Allow 20-25 minutes, depending on batch size.
Substitutions: Use pepper Jack in place of Monterey Jack for more heat. Smaller shrimp can be used; add enough to each pepper to fill it without forcing the opening apart. Choose a lower-sodium Cajun seasoning if desired, since the pickled peppers and cheeses already contribute salt.
Serving: Serve as an appetizer with ranch, blue cheese dressing, or a creamy Cajun dipping sauce. For a meal, pair with coleslaw and a green salad.
Make ahead: Stuff the peppers up to 1 day ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Bread them shortly before frying.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat on a rack in a 375°F oven until hot throughout, about 10-15 minutes. Microwaving will soften the coating.
Freezing: Cool the fried peppers, freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in a 375°F oven until the centers are hot, about 20-25 minutes. The peppers will soften slightly after freezing.
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