The shrimp cook quickly in butter and come out of the pan, and the sauce is built in their place: shallot and diced pimento, a little flour and paprika, dry sherry and heavy cream.
Two pasteurized egg yolks are tempered with some of the hot sauce, stirred back in and cooked gently to 160°F, which gives the Newburg its rich, velvety texture.
Building the Newburg Sauce
The sauce is layered in the same skillet the shrimp cooked in.
Aromatics
1 tbsp butter, shallot and 2 tbsp diced pimento
A soft, sweet base with small red pieces.
Roux
1 minute1 tbsp flour and 1/2 tsp paprika
Light thickening and colour.
Sherry and cream
Sherry 1 minute, then a gentle simmer1/4 cup dry sherry, then 1 cup heavy cream
The rich, slightly nutty body of the sauce.
Egg yolk finish
Cooked to 160°F without boiling2 pasteurized egg yolks, tempered
A velvety, thicker texture.
Then tasteReturn the shrimp, season with salt and pepper, warm briefly and add parsley.
How to Make It
Shrimp cooked in butter until opaque
Melt 1 tbsp butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the shrimp until pearly and opaque, about 1 to 2 minutes per side, then lift them out.
Shallot and pimento, then flour and paprika
Melt the remaining butter and cook the shallot and diced pimento until soft. Stir in the flour and paprika for 1 minute.
Sherry simmered, cream whisked in
Add the dry sherry and simmer 1 minute, then whisk in the cream and cook gently until slightly thickened.
Egg yolks tempered and cooked to 160°F
Whisk the pasteurized yolks in a bowl. Slowly whisk in a ladle of the hot cream sauce, then pour the tempered yolks back into the skillet and cook gently, stirring, until the sauce reaches 160°F without boiling.
Shrimp returned, seasoned, parsley
Return the shrimp, season with salt and black pepper, heat briefly and finish with parsley.
Ingredient Notes
- Pasteurized egg yolks
- Two large yolks, tempered and cooked in the sauce to 160°F.
- Dry sherry
- A quarter cup, simmered for a minute before the cream goes in.
- Diced pimento
- Two tablespoons, cooked with the shallot, for the small red pieces in the sauce.
Success Tips
- Add the hot sauce to the yolks a spoonful at a time while whisking constantly.
- Keep the heat low after the yolks go in; boiling will make them curdle.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to catch 160°F rather than guessing.
Why This Recipe Works
- Cooking the shrimp first and returning them at the end keeps them tender.
- A minute of simmering the sherry takes off its raw edge before the cream goes in.
- Tempering the yolks with hot sauce first stops them scrambling when they hit the pan.
- Holding the sauce just below a boil lets the yolks thicken it smoothly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the egg yolks safe?
Yes. The recipe uses pasteurized yolks, tempers them, and cooks the sauce to 160°F.
What are the red pieces in the sauce?
Diced pimento, cooked with the shallot.
How do I know the shrimp are cooked?
They turn pearly and opaque after 1 to 2 minutes per side.
Serving Ideas
Spoon into warm bowls so the shrimp sit in plenty of the pale, paprika-flecked sauce, with parsley on top.
