Easy Grilled Shrimp

Get ready for a shrimp dish full of flavor and ready in no time! Drive past those fast food places and head to your kitchen, because our Easy Grilled Shrimp takes 16 minutes from start to finish. Our grilled jumbo shrimp recipe features a bold spice combination with a touch of heat from cayenne and smoked paprika, delivering a flavor that looks like it took hours to marinate. Pair this juicy shrimp with rice or a baked potato and you’ve got yourself a restaurant-quality meal that took about 5 minutes longer than it otherwise would have.

When we bite into one of these Easy Grilled Shrimp, it’s like a combination of summer grills and the sea. We love how versatile these little residents are, but we’re especially fans of this smoky citrus blend. Shrimps are a party food in their own right and although they may taste expensive, they are actually an inexpensive and healthy way to round out your menu.

Ingredients notes

• Shrimp: Jumbo shrimp are 3-4 inches long, and one pound equals about 16 to 20 jumbo shrimp. Clean and remove the shrimp, leaving the tails. You can also buy your shrimp already peeled and deveined in a quick process.
• Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed is always preferred, but bottled lemon juice works too!
• Olive Oil: Extra Virgin Olive Oil has a richer flavor than vegetable or canola oil.
• Smoked Paprika: Unlike regular paprika, this has a smoky flavor and aroma.
• Cayenne Pepper: It adds a small amount of heat and some flavor – double the value if you want an extra kick.

To skewer or not to skewer?

Shrimp can be placed directly on the grill grates, but if you are worried about them falling (losing even one shrimp makes us sad), you can cook them on the grill on skewers, a grill mat, or covered with aluminum foil. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side – these guys cook quickly so they don’t stick.

We like to use metal skewers which you can buy in the grill or cooking section of any large grocery store. The advantage to stainless steel or non-stick kabob skewers is that you can simply skewer the shrimp as soon as you finish mixing all the spices together.

Bamboo or wooden skewers need to be soaked in water at least 10 minutes before you fold the shrimp and place them on the grill. If you don’t submerge them they will burn and catch fire, then you have skewered pieces cooked inside your shrimp. Wooden skewers can also crack when removing cooked food.

How to Know When Shrimp Are Done

Shrimp are best cooked quickly at high heat where they can sear and get a crispy outer edge. You will know the shrimp are cooked when they no longer change. If you’re worried about it being undercooked, set the timer for 2 minutes on the first side and 3 minutes on the second side. There is a chance that it can be overcooked, but the only difference is that the shrimp are more rubbery instead of the juicy, meaty bite you want.