Is Bang Bang Shrimp Spicy? Getting the Inside Scoop on This Tasty App

Bang Bang Shrimp has become a wildly popular appetizer at seafood restaurants across the country. The crispy fried shrimp are tossed in a creamy sweet and spicy sauce that packs a punch of flavors. But just how spicy is Bang Bang Shrimp? Let’s take a closer look at this trendy dish and find out.

What is Bang Bang Shrimp?

Bang Bang Shrimp is an appetizer featured on the menus of various casual dining seafood chains like Bonefish Grill, Carraba’s Italian Grill, and Outback Steakhouse. It’s made by coating shrimp in cornstarch and deep frying until golden and crispy The fried shrimp get tossed in a creamy, mayo-based sauce flavored with sweet chili sauce and sriracha

The name Bang Bang comes from the blend of sweet and spicy flavors in the sauce. The dish is meant to have a balance of sweet and heat. It was inspired by similar sauces and flavor profiles found in Thai cuisine.

Breaking Down the Bang Bang Shrimp Sauce

The sauce is really what gives this dish its signature flavor. It’s a blend of:

• Mayonnaise – Forms the creamy base and adds tang
• Sweet chili sauce – Provides sweetness, usually a Thai-style sauce
• Sriracha – Brings the heat and chili flavor

By adjusting the ratios of these three main ingredients, the sauce can be tailored to preferred levels of sweetness and spice. More sriracha amps up the heat!

How Spicy is Sriracha?

Sriracha is a type of hot sauce made from chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt. It has a smooth, pourable consistency. The most popular brand of sriracha is Huy Fong Foods Rooster Sauce.

On the Scoville scale of spiciness, sriracha typically ranks around 2,200 Scoville heat units (SHU). As a comparison, a jalapeño pepper measures 2,500-8,000 SHU. So sriracha brings a respectable amount of heat, but it’s not extreme.

The balance of sweetness from sugar and the acidic tang from vinegar in sriracha make it have a more complex, nuanced spicy flavor than other hot sauces. It adds heat as well as savory depth.

How Much Sriracha is in Bang Bang Shrimp Sauce?

Most Bang Bang Shrimp recipes call for around 1-3 teaspoons of sriracha per 1/2 cup of mayo. With mayonnaise being the main ingredient and base of the sauce, the sriracha level is kept modest.

The sriracha is not meant to make Bang Bang Shrimp overly spicy and lip-burning. It’s just intended to give the sauce a mild kick of chili flavor. The sweet chili sauce also balances out the sriracha’s heat.

Tips for Controlling the Spice Level

Keep these tips in mind for making Bang Bang Shrimp with your desired level of spice:

• Start with less sriracha – You can always add more but you can’t take it out once it’s in there! Begin with 1 teaspoon per 1/2 cup mayo.

• Taste the sauce before tossing – Mix up a small sample of the sauce and taste before coating the shrimp. Then you can adjust to your preferences.

• Use milder chile sauce – Opt for a chili-garlic sauce instead of sriracha for a more toned down heat.

• Add more mayo – Extra mayo will dilute the sriracha for a cooler sauce.

• Use sweeter chili sauce – A Thai sweet chili sauce with extra sugar will counter the spice.

• Garnish with lime – Squeezing fresh lime juice over the shrimp can mellow the heat.

How Restaurants Control the Spice Level

At chain restaurants, Bang Bang Shrimp is designed to have just enough spice to give it some kick but without being too hot for most patrons. To maintain consistency across locations, restaurants take measures like:

• Using commercial sauces – Large batches of sauce are mass produced according to standardized recipes.

• Limiting the sriracha – The recipes dictate exactly how much sriracha gets added to each batch of sauce.

• No additional seasoning – No extra spices or sriracha get added before serving to prevent drastic differences in heat.

• Providing milder sauces – Mild and sweet dipping sauces are served alongside to balance out the heat.

Customer Reviews on Spice Level

Here’s what diners are saying about the spice level of Bang Bang Shrimp at popular chain restaurants:

Bonefish Grill

• “Just the right amount of kick without overpowering the shrimp.”
• “Sweet and tangy with a little bit of heat, but not too hot for me.”
• “Enough spice to satisfy my craving but not make me choke.”

Carraba’s Italian Grill

• “Lightly spicy but cool and creamy too.”
• “Sweet with a tiny bit of heat – even my kids enjoy it.”
• “Could use a bit more spice in my opinion.”

Outback Steakhouse

• “Has a nice hint of spice but it doesn’t linger.”
• “The balance of flavors is spot on, including the heat.”
• “I wish it packed more punch but it’s tasty.”

Should You Order Bang Bang Shrimp Mild, Medium or Spicy?

Most chain restaurants only offer Bang Bang Shrimp in one standard spice level, which falls around mild-medium. But some places give you the option to order it mild, medium or extra spicy.

Here’s an overview of what you can expect at each spice level:

• Mild – Great for anyone who is very sensitive to spice or has kids. More mayo and less sriracha. Almost no heat.
• Medium – The classic preparation with a light kick. Pleasant for most people.
• Spicy – For lovers of heat who want an extra zing. More sriracha added.

No matter which spice level you prefer, Bang Bang Shrimp is sure to satisfy your craving for crispy fried shrimp bathed in a luscious, flavor-packed sauce. Give it a try and discover the sweet, savory and spicy appeal of this blockbuster appetizer!