Go Back
Print

Charcoal Grilled Shrimp Skewers with a Spicy Lemon-Garlic Sauce

Grilled shrimp is a easy appetizer or mail course meal for your summer grilling. Peeled shrimp are closely skewered together, to prevent overcooking. It takes just a few minutes, until just barely cooked. The shrimp is finished cooking in heated sauce of butter, lemon, garlic and red pepper flakes-- and some fresh parsley for a pop of color. Really delicious! (Yes, you can adapt this for a gas grill.)
Course Appetizer, barbecue, Grilling, Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Charcoal Grilled Shrimp Skewers, Shrimp Skewers
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Author Debby - www.AFeastfortheEyes.net

Equipment

  • metal skewers (wooden skewers tend to burn)
  • chimney starter and charcoal
  • disposable aluminum pan

Ingredients

For the shrimp skewers:

  • 1 ½ pounds extra-large shrimp 21/25, peeled and deveined, tails left on
  • 2 - 3 tablespoons olive oil for brushing skewers
  • ¼ teaspoon sugar
  • salt and ground black pepper
  • Lemon wedges for serving

For the Spicy Lemon-Garlic Sauce:

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 4 pieces
  • ¼ cup lemon juice 2 lemons
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • ½ - ¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ⅛ teaspoon table salt
  • ⅓ cup minced fresh parsley

Instructions

  • Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Thread shrimp onto 3 skewers, alternating direction of heads and tails.
    Brush both sides of shrimp with oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle one side of each skewer with sugar.

Charcoal Grilling Method:

  • Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal (6 quarts, or about 100 briquettes) and allow to burn until coals are fully ignited and partially covered with thin layer of ash, about 20 minutes.
    Empty coals into grill; build modified two-level fire by arranging coals to cover one-half of grill, piling them about 3 briquettes high, leaving other half empty. Position cooking grate over coals, cover grill, and heat until hot, about 5 minutes; scrape grate clean with grill brush.
  • Set disposable aluminum pie plate with sauce ingredients over hot side of grill and cook, stirring occasionally, until hot, about 1 1/2 minutes; transfer plate to cooler side of grill. Place shrimp skewers, sugared sides down, on hot side of grate; use tongs to push shrimp together on skewer if they have separated. Grill shrimp, uncovered, until lightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Using tongs, flip and grill until second side is pink and slightly translucent, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
  • 4
  • Using potholder or oven mitt, carefully lift each skewer from grill; use tongs to slide shrimp off skewers into pie plate with sauce. Toss shrimp and sauce to combine and transfer pie plate to hot side of grill; cook, stirring, until shrimp are opaque and fully cooked, about 30 seconds. Remove from grill, add remaining sauce ingredients and toss to combine. Transfer to serving platter and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

For the Spicy Lemon-Garlic Sauce:

  • Combine melted butter, lemon juice, garlic, pepper flakes, and salt in disposable pie plate. Cook over hotter side of grill, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted, about 1 1/2 minutes; slide to cooler side of grill and grill shrimp, adding parsley just before serving.

For a Gas Grill Method:

  • Turn all burners to high; cover; and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Clean and oil cooking grate.
  • Place kebabs, sugared side down, on grate; use tongs to push shrimp together on skewer if they have separated.
    Grill shrimp, covered, until lightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Using tongs, flip and grill until second side is pink and slightly translucent, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
  • Using pot holder or oven mitt, carefully lift each kebab from grill; use tongs to slide shrimp off skewers into pie plate with sauce.
    Toss shrimp and sauce to combine and transfer pie plate back to grill; cook, stirring, until shrimp are opaque and fully cooked, about 30 seconds.
    Remove from grill, and toss to combine. Transfer to serving platter and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Notes

The shrimp and sauce  finish cooking together on the grill, so prepare the sauce ingredients while the coals are heating, then carry them out to the grill with you. To fit all of the shrimp on the cooking grate at once, you’ll need three 14-inch metal skewers. (Wooden skewers will likely burn.) Serve with grilled crusty bread brushed with olive oil as an appetizer; add rice salad or couscous for a main course.
Recipe source: Cook's Illustrated Magazine July/August 2006