I love shrimp and apparently I’m not alone. Shrimp is officially America’s #1 favorite seafood. It’s so versatile. You can make it with everything from tacos to casseroles. I like this recipe because I loved my food grilled and spicy. Spicy Grilled Shrimp delivers on both counts.
How Much Shrimp Should You Buy?
This isn’t an easy questions, because it depends on a few things:
- How many people are you serving?
- What is the size of the shrimp?
- What are you making? Are you serving shrimp as an appetizer, or main course?
- Is the shrimp raw or pre-cooked?
I usually buy enough to serve six people. The size of the shrimp and the dish go hand in hand. Spicy Grilled Shrimp is served as a main course, so it has to be enough. Taking into account that shrimp shrink up a little bit after you cook them, I tend to lean into the larger-sized shrimps. For this dish, I purchased colossal shrimp (13-15 per pound) from Costco. Some estimates say to purchase about a pound of raw shrimp per person, but if that were the case, I would need 6 pounds of shrimp, which would be very expensive! I found that purchasing a 4-pound bag (label reading “white shrimp U-15”) from Costco serves just enough for 6-7 servings, as long as there is also a side salad or some bread. For colossal shrimp, I’ve found that about 6 shrimp per person is a good average.
Still not sure about shrimp sizing? Check out this article from the Fine Cooking Test Kitchen.
Frozen versus Fresh?
I like frozen shrimp because you can defrost what you need right before you cook it. That’s what I did. I simply put the frozen shrimp in a colander and ran some cold (not warm or hot) water over them until they thawed, about 15 minutes. After they thawed, I removed the shells, but left the tails.
The Secret to Awesome Shrimp: Brining
If you’ve never tried brining your shrimp before cooking, this article from Serious Eats will make you a believer. The quick take away: just do it.
Skewering Tips
- I placed between 8 and 12 shrimp per my skewer, but I was serving family.
- Use two skewers (see photo). It makes it easier to handle flipping the shrimp.
- Metal skewers get hot. I recommend using an oven mitt or glove to use when turning the shrimp over on the grill.
- I like metal skewers but you can also use bamboo. If you want to use bamboo, be sure to pre-soak in water for about 30 minutes before using or else they might burn. Bamboo skewers are a good option if you want to use smaller skewers and thread only a serving size. That way, guests can have a whole skewer to themselves.
- Place the shrimp head to tail, and nestle them close together. This helps keep them from overcooking.
The Spicy Paste
This is almost a spicy barbecue sauce, but what I like about it is that it has enough olive oil to help with the fast high-heat cooking. This results in some of the shrimp getting a slight char, which I like. Not as much as some other grilled meats, but just enough to add a little depth. The brining that was already done helps retain the moisture, so the shrimp is still tender and juicy on the inside. Spicy flavor on the outside with a touch of char. Yum.
Grilling
If you need a charcoal grilling primer, check out this post, How to Start the Coals Charcoal Barbecue Grill.
Use grill gloves or an oven mitt to help with grasping the skewers and turning. Here Jeff uses tongs and a mitt to make sure the shrimp are quickly turned.
Spicy Grilled Shrimp need constant monitoring when on the grill not only because they cook fast (about 3-5 minutes per side), but because they will cook unevenly. Some of the areas on a charcoal grill are hotter than others, so as the individual skewers cook to perfection, you may need to pull them off so that they won’t overcook while the other skewers catch up.
Pull them off and place on a baking sheet, then adjust the remaining skewers so they cook evenly.
Serving Suggestions
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Spicy Grilled Shrimp
Equipment
- (10-12) 15" metal skewers
- (2) baking sheets
- Charcoal grill
- grill glove
- Pastry/basting brush
Ingredients
Dry Brine
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 teaspoon granulated, white sugar
- 36 colossal white shrimp, peeled with tail on and defrosted
Spicy Paste
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon granulated, white sugar
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice about 2 lemons
- lemon wedges, to serve
- 1/2 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley chopped, for garnish optional
Instructions
Brine Shrimp
- Peel the shrimp, leaving tails on, and pat dry.
- Prepare the dry brine. Combine baking soda, salt, and sugar in a gallon-sized freezer bag. Add shrimp, and shake to coat.
- Skewer 8-10 shrimp per skewer, making sure that they are head-to-tail, and packed tightly together. Use two skewers to keep them in place.
- Place skewers across a baking sheet so the shrimp are suspended across and on the edge of the tray (this helps with drying). Pat dry with paper towel again if needed. Put in fridge and let rest for one hour.
Make Spicy Paste
- Meanwhile, prepare the spicy paste. In a medium bowl, add minced garlic and combine with salt.
- Mix with cayenne and paprika, then add olive oil and lemon juice to make into a paste. Set aside during the hour that the shrimp are brining.
Grill
- When ready to cook the shrimp. prepare the grill. You'll need to cook the shrimp when the coals are at their hottest. Set the grill low.
- When coals are ready, smear paste on shrimp. Grill 2 to 3 minutes a side, turning once. Use grill glove, as the metal skewers will be hot.
- Assess each skewer and as they become done, move to a second, clean baking sheet.
- Squirt a little lemon juice over the top and serve immediately or at room temperature, with lemon wedges and garnished with chopped parsley.
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