Cracker-Breaded Fried Shrimp

We love fried shrimp at our house and this is a nice buttery crispy shrimp that we really enjoyed.  Hope you enjoy it as well. This recipe comes from Julianne Polaha from Tuluca Lake, California.
We found that coarsely crushed crackers work best for this recipe. Place crackers in a zip-top plastic bag, and crush with a rolling pin.


Printable Version:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/cracker-breaded-shrimp

Ingredients:
2 pounds unpeeled, large fresh shrimp
1 1/2 cups crushed buttery round crackers (about 26 crackers)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
2-3 drops hot sauce
1 large egg
vegetable oil
Peel, shrimp, leaving tails intact, and devin
Combine crushed crackers, flour, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and salt in a shallow dish. Stir together buttermilk, hot sauce, egg, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl until blended. Dip shrimp in buttermilk mixture; dredge in cracker mixture.
Pour oil to a depth of 2 1/2 inches into a large, deep cast-iron or heavy-duty skillet; heat to 375 degrees F. Fry shrimp, in batches, 1-2 minutes or until golden; drain on wire racks over paper towels