While there are a wide array of seafood recipes that can be grilled, shrimp is one of the easiest dishes to master. The best grilled shrimp recipes take only minutes to prepare and ten to fifteen minutes on the grill!. Serve them seasoned, buttered, or marinated, the choice is yours!
Try out the recipes below on your favorite charcoal or gas grill
1. Grilled Shrimp Recipe
Straightforward, easy to prepare and grill, this grilled shrimp recipe is a great place to start if you’ve never grilled shrimp before. With this basic recipe as your foundation, you can experiment as you grow with seasonings and sides.
Prep time 10 minutes | cook time 6 minutes | servings Up to 6 |
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Prep time 30 minutes | cook time 30 - 40 minutes | servings Up to 4 |
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INGREDIENTS |
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1 Lb. of Jumbo Shrimp (peeled and deveined) |
2 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil |
2 Tbsp of Lemon Juice |
1 Tsp of Smoked paprika |
1 Tsp of Garlic Powder |
1 Tsp of Onion Powder |
1 Tsp of Dried Oregano |
1 Tsp of Dried Basil |
½ Tsp of Salt |
½ Tsp pf Black Pepper |
¼ Tsp of Cayenne Pepper |
Prep Instructions
- Place the shrimp into a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice.
- Sprinkle paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper over shrimp. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate while your grill preheats.
- Preheat an outdoor grill to high heat, about 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Skewer the shrimp with stainless steel or wood skewers. If you’re using wooden skewers, pre-soak them in water for 10 minutes.
- Either thread shrimp onto skewers to cook, or place the shrimp directly on the grill individually. Be sure that your shrimp are large enough to not fall through the grates if you are not threading them on a skewer.
- Cook shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes per side until they are no longer translucent. Serve hot.
2. Marinated Grilled Shrimp Recipe
(By Lena Abraham)
Roll out your Weber, Camp Chef, Green Mountain or other favorite grill and prepare to treat your tastebuds to something special! This delicious marinated grilled shrimp recipe by Lena Abraham only takes 15 minutes to prepare and cook.
Served with a sizzling cut of ribeye steak and some leafy greens, this bbq recipe is sure to win over young and old alike!
Prep time 5 minutes | cooking time 10 minutes | Servings up to 8 |
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INGREDIENTS |
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2 lb. Shrimp (peeled and deveined) |
¼ Cup of Extra-virgin olive oil |
¼ Cup of Lime juice |
4 Garlic Cloves, minced |
3 Tbsp. of Honey |
2 Tbsp.of Low-sodium soy sauce |
1 Tbsp. of Chili garlic sauce or Sriracha |
¼ Cup of freshly chopped Cilantro, for garnish |
Lime wedges, for serving |
Directions
In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, garlic, honey, soy sauce, and chili sauce. (Reserve 1/4 cup marinade for brushing onto shrimp while grilling.)
Preheat your grill to 350 - 450°F and set it up for direct cooking.
Next, toss the shrimp with remaining marinade into a large mixing bowl. Thread the shrimp on to skewers.
Grill the shrimp over direct, medium heat for approximately 3 minutes on each side, turning the shrimp halfway through the process. Brush the shrimp with the reserved 1/4 cup marinade before and after each flip.
Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with lime wedges.
That’s it, really! Now you can make these delicious marinated shrimp skewers anytime you like! Try them on a pellet grill flavored with pecan, hickory or maple wood pellets for added flavor.
3. Amazing Grilled Garlic Butter Shrimp Recipe
Prep time 15 minutes | cooking time 15 minutes | Servings up to 6 |
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INGREDIENTS |
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1 ½ pounds medium shrimp (peeled and deveined) |
½ cup unsalted butter |
1 Shallot, minced |
4 Cloves garlic, minced |
¼ Teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more |
Kosher Salt |
Freshly ground black pepper |
2 Lemons, halved |
2 Tablespoons Parsley leaves (freshly chopped) |
Directions:
Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Stir in shallot, garlic and red pepper flakes until fragrant, about 2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Thread shrimp on to skewers; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Brush with 2 tablespoons butter mixture.
Preheat grill to medium high heat (350 - 450 degrees fahrenheit)
Add skewers to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until the shrimp are pink and opaque, about 3-4 minutes per side.
In the last 2 minutes of cooking, add lemons to the grill, cut side down.
Serve immediately, drizzled with remaining butter mixture.
Garnished these bad boys with lemons and parsley, and voila! These make a great appetizer for a relaxing evening on your backyard patio!
Enjoy!
4. Smoked Shrimp Recipe
(By Steve Cylka)
Of course, we couldn’t forget to include a delicious smoked shrimp recipe for those who love the distinct wood-smoked flavor! Use your choice of apple, alder, or cherry wood and be sure to preheat your electric smoker for at least 10 -15 minutes.
Prep time 15 minutes | cooking time 15 minutes | Servings up to 6 |
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INGREDIENTS |
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1 Lb of Fresh Shrimp (peeled) |
2 Tbsp oil |
1 Tbsp dried oregano |
1 Tbsp dried basil |
1 Tsp garlic powder |
Instructions:
In a large mixing bowl, toss the shrimp with oil, oregano, basil, garlic powder and salt.
Place the shrimp on smoker racks. You may need to line the smoker rack with aluminum foil to prevent the shrimp from falling through the rack.
Set the smoker to 225F using wood of choice.
Smoke the shrimp for 30 - 45 minutes, or until they turn pink.
Serve straight from your smoker!
How To Grill Shrimp
Prepping Your Shrimp
Prepping shrimp for the grill is fairly straightforward. You can purchase them pre-peeled and deveined or do the work yourself if you prefer. With a few simple ingredients, you can season shrimp quickly and throw it in the refrigerator in a sealed container while you get the grill ready.
How Much Fuel?
Whether you’re working with charcoal or gas, the good news is that shrimp cooks very quickly. 5 - 6 charcoal briquettes should be more than enough to cook a shrimp recipe for 6 - 8 people. A standard 2 pound gas canister should be more than enough to complete the same amount of shrimp with plenty gas left over.
Watch And Learn How To Grill Shrimp The Right Way
Setting The Temperature
Set the temperature on your gas grill to 350 - 450 degrees fahrehnheit, or medium - high. If you’re grilling on a charcoal grill, arrange your briquettes in a pyramid. When the charcoal turns white, you’re at the right cooking temperature.
Grilling Technique
Grill your shrimp over direct heat for the best results. If you peel the shrimp before grilling, oil or butter them to prevent them from sticking. They’ll also retain moisture better and are less likely to burn over direct heat.
You’ll need to turn the shrimp over at the halfway mark. Allowing a total cooking time of 10 minutes, you should only need a maximum of 5 minutes for each side. Brush with your marinade sauce, butter or oil to help preserve the tenderness.
Grilling Utensils
Use a quality spatula made of heat-resistant material that will allow you to easily scoop up and flip your shrimp. If you use a silicon-based spatula, be sure it is BPA-free and avoid direct contact with flames.
Quality BBQ gloves made of leather or suede should cover your fingers, hands and wrists from heat and splashing.
To avoid losing small shrimp in the grooves of your cooking grates, use premium grill mats. They can be laid directly onto your charcoal or gas grill cooking surface to keep your grates clean while you cook. You can find non-stick grill mats as well, to make grilling shrimp even easier.
What Is The Best Kind of Shrimp For Grilling
Grilling shrimp is easy, fast and a lot of fun, but you’ll find the results will differ depending on the variety of shrimp you choose. There’s quite a difference between a bag of frozen shrimp from the grocery and shrimp from a fresh fish market.
There are actually over 300 variety of shrimp and prawn found in our world’s oceans. To make the most of your grilling, learn the different kinds of shrimp and add a kick to your recipe!
Pink Shrimp: Preferred by chefs for salads, pink shrimp is easily identified by its pinkish color. Their color can range from pink to gray to pinkish white, but they are all a variety of the same wild shrimp that are mild and sweet in flavor. Grill over medium heat for 3 minutes on each side over direct heat for best results. Marinating them in a tangy lemon or lime-based sauce will prevent the shrimp from burning over the direct heat and bring out the sweet, delicate taste.
White Shrimp: White shrimp are distinctly white or bluish-white in appearance that turns pink when cooked or grilled. Grillmasters prefer white shrimp because they’re the perfect balance of tenderness and flavor. Sweet and tender, they can be grilled at medium - high temperature range(350 - 450F) over direct flame for 2 -3 minutes per side. Brush with butter, drizzle with oil or lemon juice to bring out the natural sweet flavor of this shrimp.
Brown Shrimp: Also known as American wild shrimp, brown shrimp are commonly found in the gulf of Mexico. They’re also the most common type of shrimp you’ll find in grocery stores. The exterior shell is reddish-brown, in contrast to their dark greenish tail-fan. By comparison, brown shrimp are milder in taste than white or pink shrimp, with a slightly mineral flavor. Garlic, paprike, and cayenne are good seasoning choices. Grill over direct heat at high temperature.
Tiger Prawns: Often referred to as tiger shrimp, they’re actually a separate but very similar species of shrimp known as tiger prawns. Found across the Indo-Pacific, they are typically much larger than North American varieties of shrimp and are a great choice for grilling. They should be grilled at high temperature over direct flame for 3 minutes per side, or until ready.Tips For Grilling Shrimp To Perfection
Buy your shrimp on the same day you plan to grill. Shrimp goes bad quickly. If you buy them frozen, thaw them out before you transfer them to the grill.
When grilling a smaller variety of shrimp, leave the shell on to provide a layer of protection against the direct heat. It will also impart flavor to the meat.
The larger the shrimp, the better. Grilling tends to remove moisture, shrinking your meat. If you start with very small shrimp, they will quickly curl up and burn over direct heat. Larger shrimp will cook better.
A good pair of BBQ gloves will prevent you getting burned by hot oil or searing heat.
Coat your shrimp with butter or olive oil to keep them from sticking to your charcoal or gas grill cooking surface.
Peel your shrimp after you grill them. You’ll find the shell comes off much easier, and you won’t accidentally shred your shrimp.
When cooked, the shrimp should appear red on the exterior and opaque to off-white on the inside. If the shrimp has turned bright white on the grill, you’ve overcooked it.