Steamed Shrimp Po Boy Sandwiches are a lighter, Maryland take on the classic sandwich. Seasoned shrimp is steamed and served on roll with lettuce, tomato, dill pickles and remoulade sauce.

In addition to steamed crabs, Maryland is also known for our steamed shrimp. In other places this is sometimes called "peel and eat shrimp". The shrimp is steamed with apple cider vinegar, water and of course, Old Bay seasoning.
During our visit to New Orleans, a shrimp po' boy was high up on the list of meals to try and it ended up being the first meal I had there. Of course, we followed it up with beignets and a lot fo walking around the French Quarter.
What is a steamed shrimp po' boy sandwich?
A po' boy, or poor boy, is a Louisana sandwich generally made with fried seafood or roast beef. The sandwich is served on a bread similar to a French baguette. A "dressed" sandwich means it has lettuce, tomato, dill pickles and remoulade sauce. Instead of using Cajun or Creole seasoning and frying the shrimp, I added a little Maryland flair by seasoned the shrimp with Old Bay and steamed them.
🥘 Ingredients for this recipe
- shrimp; peeled, deveined and tails removed
- apple cider vinegar
- water
- Old Bay seasoning
- lettuce, shredded
- tomato slices
- rolls - hot dog, club, sub or a French baguette
- Remoulade Sauce (mayonnaise, mustard, Old Bay, garlic powder, paprika, lemon juice, pickle juice)
🔪Instructions for this recipe
- First, prepare the remoulade sauce. Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl, mix until fully combined and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Then, steam the shrimp. Add apple cider vinegar, water and Old Bay seasoning to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the shrimp, cook 2-3 minutes until shrimp are no longer pink and drain well.
- Finally, assemble the steamed shrimp po' boy sandwiches! Slice the roll in half and spread remoulade sauce on both sides. Layer with shredded lettuce and tomato slices. Lastly, pile on the steamed shrimp. Drizzle more remoulade sauce on top if desired.
FAQ's about po' boy sandwiches
- Where did the name po'boy come from? In 1929 there was a strike of street car workers in New Orleans and the Martin Brothers, who owned a restaurant, pledged to keep the strikers fed. When they would see one, they would yell "Here comes another poor boy" which eventually got shortened to po' boy.
- What is the best kind of bread to use in a po'boy? The traditional bread used is not likely to be found outside of New Orleans. It's most similar to a French baguette. Sub rolls, club rolls and even hot dog rolls work for this recipe.
- Do you need to steam the shrimp? Nope, however, I wanted to give this recipe a Maryland flair. Traditionally the shrimp would be soaked in buttermilk and then tossed in seasoned flour before fried in peanut oil.
Check out some of my other New Orleans recipes:
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Recipe
Steamed Shrimp Po'Boy Sandwiches
Ingredients
Old Bay Remoulade Sauce
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pickle juice
Steamed Shrimp
- 1 lb shrimp peeled, deveined and tails removed
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
Sandwich
- 4 club rolls
- 8 slices tomato
- 1 cup lettuce shredded
Instructions
Remoulade Sauce:
- Combine all of the ingredients for the sauce together in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Steamed Shrimp
- Add apple cider vinegar, water and Old Bay to a medium pot and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, add in the shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the shrimp are pink.
- Remove from the heat and drain liquid.
Po Boy Sandwich
- Spread remoulade sauce on both sides of the roll.
- Layer with tomato slices and shredded lettuce and top with steamed shrimp.
- Drizzle more remoulade sauce on top. Serve immediately.
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