Tag Archives: coconut shrimp

Outback Copycat Recipes!

Outback Copycat Recipes!

Prepare your favorite Outback Steakhouse dishes at home with easy-to-make copycat recipes!

Bloomin’ Onion

What’s your favorite thing about Outback Steakhouse? There’s a good chance it’s this delicious appetizer known as the blooming onion. Here’s how you can make it at home.

Serves 2–4 | Prep. time 10 min. | Cooking time 8 min.

Ingredients

Bloomin’ Onion Dip

  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon horseradish, drained
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • Pinch cayenne pepper

For the onion

  • 1 large sweet onion, such as Vidalia
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • Oil for frying (sufficient to cover the onion)
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • Salt

Directions

  1. Prepare the sauce by combining all the ingredients. Cover and keep it refrigerated until ready to use.
  2. Peel the onion and place it on a cutting board. Slice off the top half-inch or so.
  3. Turn the onion cut side down on the cutting board and starting from about half an inch from the root, cut down all the way through. Start by making four even sections, then divide these into a total of 16 segments.
  4. Heat the oil in a high-sided pot.
  5. Turn the onion over and gently separate the outer slices.
  6. Combine the flour, cayenne, paprika, thyme, oregano, cumin, and black pepper.
  7. Place the onion in a bowl with high sides. Pour all the flour mixture over the onion and cover the bowl. Shake from side to side to ensure that all surfaces of the onion are coated.
  8. Whisk the eggs with the milk, and carefully submerge the onion in the egg mixture. Let any excess drip off, and then flour it again.
  9. When the oil reaches 400°F, carefully lower the onion in, cut side down. Keep the oil at about 350°F, and after 3–4 minutes, turn the onion over. Cook another 3–4 minutes, until golden.
  10. Serve with dipping sauce.

 

Alice Springs Chicken

This is one of our favorite ways to eat chicken breast, but because of the amount of bacon and cheese involved, we don’t do it every week!

Serves 4 | Prep. time 15 min. | Marinating time 30 min. | Cooking time 40 min.

Ingredients

For the marinade

  • ½ cup honey
  • 6 tablespoons mustard
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

For the chicken

  • 6 slices cooked bacon, chopped
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 4 (5-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese
  • 3 tablespoons fresh parsley for garnish, optional

Directions

  1. Combine the ingredients for the marinade and mix well. Set aside ⅓ cup in the fridge.
  2. Place the chicken breasts in a resealable bag and add the rest of the marinade. Turn to coat, and refrigerate for at least an hour, preferable 2–3 hours. From time to time, manipulate the bag to ensure everything is coated.
  3. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and cook the bacon until it is medium crisp. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels, leaving the grease in the pan.
  4. Add the mushrooms to the hot skillet and cook until golden, about 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove them to a bowl.
  5. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade.
  6. Add the oil to the skillet and when it’s hot, add the chicken. Do not move or flip the chicken breasts until they are deeply golden, 5–7 minutes. Turn them over and brown them on the other side.
  7. Top the chicken with the mushrooms and bacon, and then sprinkle the cheese on top.
  8. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is 165°F internally.
  9. Serve with the reserved marinade for dipping.

 

Baby Back Ribs

If you’re a rib lover but aren’t sure how to make them come out tender, give this recipe a try! The ribs themselves aren’t too gooey with two bastings they have just the right amount of sauce. Of course, you’ll have extra for dipping!

Serves 4 | Prep. time 30 min.  | Cooking time 2 hours

Ingredients

  • 4–5 pounds baby back ribs (2 full racks)
  • 1 (32-ounce) bottle cola

For the rub

  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder

For the sauce

  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
    Pinch red pepper flakes

Directions

  1. Place the ribs in a large resealable bag and pour in the cola. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
  2. Combine the seasonings for the rub and preheat the oven to 350°F.
  3. Drain the ribs, throw out the cola, and pat the ribs dry with paper towels.
  4. Rub the seasonings all over the meat and wrap them in foil. Bake for 1 hour.
  5. While the meat is baking, combine the sauce ingredients. Heat the barbecue or grill to medium.
  6. Once the ribs are baked and tender, transfer them to the grill and coat them with sauce. Grill for 15 minutes or so, basting often until they are charred and crisp to your liking.

 

Coconut Shrimp

You can’t have a conversation about Outback Steakhouse food without mentioning Coconut Shrimp! This is a specialty of the restaurant that you shouldn’t miss.

Serves 4 | Prep. time 15 min.  | Cooking time 12 min.

Ingredients

  • 16 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 cup ice water
  • 2 cups short shredded coconut
  • Vegetable oil for frying

Honey marmalade dipping sauce

  • ¼ cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons mustard
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¾ cup orange marmalade
  • 4 drops Tabasco® or hot sauce

Directions

  1. Rinse the shrimp and pat it dry.
  2. Combine the ingredients for the honey marmalade sauce and keep it chilled.
  3. In a mixing bowl, combine the cornstarch, flour, salt, and cayenne pepper.
  4. Stir in the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and the ice water. Mix to form a batter.
  5. Heat the oil to 350°F.
  6. Spread some of the shredded coconut in a shallow bowl. One at a time, dip the shrimp in the batter and then press it into the coconut. Fry in small batches for 3–4 minutes, until golden and cooked through.
  7. Serve hot, with a side of the dipping sauce.

 

Chocolate Thunder from Down Under

A chocolate brownie topped with ice cream? Now that we have your undivided attention, check out this delicious copycat recipe for the Outback favorite.

Serves 6 | Prep. time 10 min. | Cooking time 20 min.

Ingredients

For the brownies

  • ½ cup butter
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅓ cup cocoa powder
  • ½ cup flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder

For the hot fudge sauce

  • ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • ½ cup evaporated milk
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For topping

  • 6 scoops vanilla or chocolate fudge ice cream
  • Whipped cream
  • Chocolate curl (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and coat a 9×9 baking pan with cooking spray.
  2. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until light.
  3. One at a time, blend in the eggs. Add the vanilla.
  4. Sift in the cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder, and stir just to combine
  5. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 20–22 minutes, or until the edges are cooked through but the middle is still moist.
  6. To prepare the sauce, combine the chocolate chips, milk, brown sugar, and butter in a saucepan.
  7. Cook over medium heat until the chocolate chips are melted. Stir in the vanilla.
  8. To assemble the dessert, place a warm brownie on a plate. Top with a scoop of ice cream, some whipped cream, a drizzle of sauce. And if desired chocolate curls.

 

Watermelon Rita

These are very tasty and can be enjoyed frozen if you like.

Serves 1 | Prep. time 3 min. 

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces watermelon vodka
  • 1 ounce tequila
  • 2 ounces sweet and sour mix

Directions

  1. Combine all the ingredients and combine.

 

***All these recipes and more can be found in Lina Chang’s book Copycat Recipes: Making Outback Steakhouse’s Most Popular Recipes at Home. Click here or on the cover of the book.

Click here to download a copy of the recipes.

Cooking the Movies!

Cooking the Movies!

Prison Sauce from the Movie Goodfellas

This meat sauce is a product of teamwork by the beloved mobsters Vinnie, Paulie, and Johnny in the popular hit Goodfellas. This hearty sauce is for all the Goodfellas fans. Serve with your favorite pasta.

Serves 6–8 | Prep. time 20 minutes | Cooking time 4 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, more if needed
  • 3 pounds veal shanks
  • 3 pounds beef shanks
  • 1 pound Italian pork link sausages, mild or hot
  • 3 small onions, diced thinly
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and paper-thin sliced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • ¼ cup dry red wine
  • 4 (28-ounce) cans Italian tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon dry basil
  • 1 teaspoon dry oregano
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Meatballs

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 pound ground veal
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 onion, diced thinly
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¾ cup regular breadcrumbs
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • ½ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
  • 1 cup freshly grated parmesan
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pasta

  • 1 pound dried spaghetti or other favorite pasta
  • Freshly grated parmesan cheese, for serving
  • Fresh basil leaves for serving

Directions

  1. Warm the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Season the beef and veal generously with salt and pepper. Working in batches so the pan is not overcrowded, brown the meat for about 4-5 minutes on each side or until well colored. Remove from pan and set aside.
  3. Add more oil if needed and brown the Italian sausages. Remove from pan and set aside.
  4. Reduce heat to medium-low, add olive oil if needed, and add the onions and garlic to the pan. Sauté until fragrant and tender, about 2-3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and red wine and stir well.
  5. Using a mesh strainer over the saucepan and add the tomatoes through the strainer to remove seeds and crush the tomatoes.
  6. Add the basil and oregano and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir a few times with a wooden spoon.
  7. Add back the browned beef, veal, and pork sausages to the pan. Stir and let simmer the sauce over low heat for 3 to 4 hours, until the meat is tender.
  8. In the meantime, prepare the meatballs. In a bowl, add the ground meats and all remaining ingredients for the meatballs. Mix thoroughly with hands until all the ingredients are well combined.
  9. To make even meatballs, use an ice cream scooper to make about 12 well-rounded meatballs.
  10. After 3 hours, remove the beef and veal shanks from the saucepan and let cool on a plate. When cooled enough, pull and shred the meat from the bones with forks or hands. Put the meat back into the sauce and add the meatballs.
  11. Let simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, about 45 minutes.
  12. When ready to serve, prepare the pasta according to package directions and add to a pasta serving dish. Pour the sauce over and serve with some freshly grated parmesan on the side. Garnish with basil leaves if desired.

 

Coconut Shrimp from the Movie Forrest Gump

Bubba was so adorable with his never-ending monotone ramble in the Tom Hanks picture Forrest Gump. He named all the possible recipes to prepare from shrimp, which inspired Forrest Gump to start his own shrimp company in honor of his late friend. Enjoy this lovely coconut shrimp recipe to relive this all-time-favorite movie.

Serves 1–2 | Prep. time 10 minutes | Cooking time 2 minutes

Ingredients

Shrimp

  • ¾ cup Hefeweizen beer or similar German-style beer
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ pound medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • ¾ cup Bisquick
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon seasoning salt
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • Vegetable oil for frying

Sauce

  • ½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning, or to taste
  • ¼ cup orange marmalade

Directions

  1. Rinse the shrimp and pat dry.
  2. Add the Bisquick and beer to a mixing bowl. Mix well.
  3. To another mixing bowl, add the flour, garlic powder, seasoning salt, and cayenne pepper. Mix well.
  4. Add the coconut to another bowl. Dip the shrimp first in the flour mixture, then the beer mixture, and finally the coconut to coat well.
  5. In a frying pan, heat the oil and fry the shrimp for 45–60 seconds per side until golden brown. Drain over paper towels.
  6. Add the sauce ingredients to a mixing bowl. Mix well.
  7. Serve the shrimp with the sauce.

 

Fried Green Tomato Grilled Cheese from the Movie Fried Green Tomatoes

Fried green tomatoes add extra cinema flavor to this cheesy grilled sandwich. It has crunchiness and tartness that will make you nostalgic. Love Fried Green Tomatoes! Love grilled cheese!

Serves 4 | Prep. time 10 minutes | Cooking time 10–15 minutes

Ingredients

  • ½ cup flour
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 2–3 medium to large green tomatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick
  • Salt and cracked pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1–2 cups panko breadcrumbs
  • Oil for frying
  • 8 slices crusty French bread
  • 8 slices Pepper Jack cheese

Directions

  1. Season the tomato slices liberally with salt and pepper.
  2. Add the panko, eggs, and flour to three separate bowls. Dip the tomato slices in the flour, then eggs, then panko to coat evenly.
  3. Heat 1 inch of oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan or skillet.
  4. Add the tomato slices in batches and fry 2 minutes per side until evenly golden.
  5. Drain over paper towels, sprinkle with salt.
  6. Butter 4 of the bread slices and top with cheese slices.
  7. Top with 2 tomato slices and another cheese slice. Top with the remaining bread slices.
  8. Heat the sandwiches in a lightly greased saucepan over medium heat. Cook until evenly brown on both sides. Serve warm.

 

 

Homemade Twinkies from the Movie WALL-E

Twinkies from this emotional comedy movie always make us remember the cute WALL-E and his cockroach friend who loved binging on Twinkies.

Yield 16 | Prep. time 5–10 minutes | Cooking time 20 minutes

 

Ingredients

Cake

  • 5 large eggs, white and yolks separated
  • 1 pinch cream of 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup cake flour

Filling

  • ¼ cup water
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  • 3 large egg whites
  • 1 pinch cream of tartar

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease two mini cake pans for twinkies with some cooking spray or melted butter.
  2. Whisk the egg whites in a mixing bowl until peaks form.
  3. Whisk the yolks and vanilla in another bowl.
  4. Add the salt, baking powder, and sugar into the yolk mixture.
  5. Add the flour and combine well.
  6. Fold in the egg whites with a spatula until well combined.
  7. Add the batter to the pans and fill each cavity to ¾ full and bake until golden brown, about 6-8 minutes. Test doneness with a wooden toothpick, it should come out clean when inserted in the middle of the cake
  8. Cool down completely on a wired rack before filling.
  9. To a saucepan, add the filling ingredients EXCEPT for the egg whites and the cream of tartar. Warm on low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool down.
  10. Add the egg whites and cream of tartar to a mixing bowl and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. You can use a hand-held mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment.
  11. Fold-in the egg whites to the filling mixture once it has cooled down. Mix until well combined. The filling should be fluffy.
  12. Add the filling to a piping bag with a simple medium-sized round tip. Pipe the filling in the 3 small holes in the middle of each Twinkie. Serve and enjoy!

 

All the recipes are from Derek Moore’s Cookbook Cooking the Movies. Click here or on the cover to learn more!

To download or print the recipes, click here