Buy Now → Scorpion 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
Units
Scale
- 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
- 1/2 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.
Find it online: https://jennifercooks.com/deep-fried-scorpion-tails/