What's The Meaning Behind The Name Popcorn Shrimp?

If you've ever ordered a basket of steaming hot, crispy, golden-brown popcorn shrimp and wanted to shove it into your mouth by the fistful like, well, popcorn, then go right ahead because that's exactly how the name "popcorn shrimp" originated. The idea behind this dish was to provide a finger food that was easy to eat and bite-size, just like popcorn. The result was tiny breaded and deep-fried shrimp that make a great appetizer to share with the table or a meal to have all for yourself. 

You can find popcorn shrimp on seafood joint menus throughout the world (though some restaurants have higher-quality seafood than others), cementing it as a well-loved option for seafood fans everywhere. There's some debate about who coined the term "popcorn shrimp" and under what circumstances. Some say the name was invented by the founders of Red Lobster in 1974. Other accounts say legendary Creole and Cajun chef from New Orleans Paul Prudhomme is to thank for popcorn shrimp's explosion in popularity.

Joe R. Lee was the manager of the first-ever Red Lobster in Lakeland, Florida. He eventually became chairman and CEO of Darden Restaurants, which owned Red Lobster until 2014.  He's quoted in a 1998 article in the Orlando Business Journal as saying, "We also invented popcorn shrimp and introduced snow crab and calamari to middle America." The original creator of Red Lobster, Bill Darden (whom Darden Restaurants is named for) wanted to bring fresh, affordable seafood to areas that weren't anywhere near a coast. He put bite-size fried shrimp on his menu in 1974 under the name "popcorn shrimp," and it was an instant hit. 

You might recognize Paul Prudhomme from your shaker of Magic Seasoning. People often credit him for creating popcorn shrimp. However, what he created was called "Cajun popcorn," or deep-fried, bite-size crawfish tails coated in Cajun seasoning, probably something similar to his Magic Seasoning Blends Seafood Magic, which you can get on Amazon. Some claim that he also did this with tiny shrimp and served it in his Louisiana restaurants before it became popularized by Red Lobster. However, many others maintain that he didn't introduce his popcorn seafood until the 1980s, several years after Red Lobster had it on the menu. 

The ambiguity of who invented popcorn shrimp first leaves this dish with unclear origins, but one thing is certain: Popcorn shrimp is meant to be a crispy, delicious snack, especially served up with a tantalizing three-ingredient cocktail sauce. And even though we don't know who exactly to thank for their existence, we can all agree that these delicious morsels are addictive, and like Ina Garten's favorite microwave popcorn, they seem to disappear far too quickly.