Grilled Shrimp Skewers Recipe – An Easy & Versatile Recipe

There is nothing that screams summer more than pulling out the grill and making Grilled Shrimp Skewers. It is an easy recipe that takes only minutes to cook and can be served in a variety of ways.

Not to mention, even the novice cook could master this recipe. With just a few basic ingredients you will have deliciously flavored shrimp ready to eat in under 25 minutes!

However that time is a little deceiving. That is because 15 of those 25 minutes is the time the shrimp needs to sit in and soak up the homemade marinade with no hands on time required.

During that time you are free to do whatever it is you need to do. Grab a drink, prepare the grill, make a dipping sauce or prepare the rest of your dinner. The choice is up to you.

However, before you get started, there are a few key tips to know when making this recipe. And it all starts with what type of shrimp to purchase.

What Type of Shrimp For Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Shrimp Size:

This recipe calls for large shrimp which may be labeled as a count of 31/35 or 31/40. However, you can also use extra large or jumbo shrimp as well.

Although if you use larger shrimp, the cook time will need to be slightly increased. I don’t recommend grilling anything smaller than large size shrimp. Not only will the shrimp dry out quicker on the grill, they will also be difficult to thread on the skewers.

Fresh vs Frozen:

Unless you can access ‘just caught’ shrimp, frozen and thawed shrimp will be the next-freshest option. These shrimp are often frozen the day they are caught so they are about as fresh as you can get off the coast.

Raw Shrimp:

When you go to purchase the shrimp be sure that it is gray in color. This color indicates that the shrimp is still raw.

If you purchase shrimp that are pink in color, you are buying shrimp that has already been cooked. And if you try to cook them again on the grill they will turn out extremely tough and rubbery.

Shell on vs Peeled Shrimp:

To make grilled shrimp skewers you can purchase shell on or peeled shrimp. However, if the shrimp still have the shell on them you will need to remove it before grilling.

Although it is easy to peel the shell off shrimp, I prefer to purchase shrimp that already has the shell removed. This allows me to get dinner on the table much quicker.

However, to make for a beautiful presentation, you can purchase shrimp that is peeled but still has the tail on. This is preferred when serving the shrimp as an appetizer as you have a built in handle.

Deveined Shrimp:

On the back side of shrimp there is a small ‘vein’ that runs down the center, just below the surface. This is actually the digestive tract of the shrimp.

Although it is safe to eat, the vein often contains grit and can produce an unpleasant taste when eaten. Therefore it is best to remove the vein or purchase shrimp that has already been deveined.

To remove the vein yourself make a shallow cut along the back of the shrimp and then pull out the vein with the tip of your knife. Sometimes the vein will be prominent and dark, and other times it will be lighter in color.

Shrimp Marinade

Shrimp naturally have a mild, sweet and salty flavor. However, in order to ramp up the flavor profile for grilled shrimp skewers the shrimp will sit in a simple, yet delicious marinade prior to being put on the grill.

A simple combination of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, oregano, paprika and garlic powder is used to penetrate the shrimp’s surface to add amazing flavor. The shrimp only needs to soak in the marinade for 15 minutes prior to grilling.

Although if you like to prepare your food ahead of time be sure that they don’t soak for more than two hours. Just like when making Shrimp Ceviche, the acidity in the lemon juice will actually break down the protein in the shrimp and it will begin to turn pink in color.

Although it isn’t technically cooked, the shrimp can turn mushy when left too long in the marinade. And if you put them on the grill at that point, they will turn out tough.

What Type of Skewers To Use

You have two choices on what type of skewers to use when making grilled shrimp. You can either use long wooden skewers or metal skewers.

If you use wooden skewers you will need to plan for extra time when making this dish. This is because the wooden skewers need to soak in water for an hour so that they don’t burn when placed on the grill.

Because I often plan dinner at the last minute, especially during the summer months, I prefer to use Metal Skewers. All I have to do is pull them out of the drawer and make this grilled shrimp recipe or Grilled Chicken Kabobs for a quick and easy meal.

So there you have it. Everything you need to know about making this delicious and versatile recipe!

Grilled Shrimp Skewers

*A printable recipe card is located at the bottom of this article which contains the specific measurements, temperatures and cook times. However, continue reading below to learn about more helpful tips about this specific recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

INSTRUCTIONS

An hour before grilling, soak wooden skewers in water. Or proceed immediately with the recipe using metal skewers (no need to soak them).

Make the marinade by placing the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, oregano, paprika and garlic powder in a medium size bowl and whisk to combine.

Add the shrimp to the bowl and toss gently to coat evenly with the marinade. Let the shrimp sit in the marinade for 15 minutes – 2 hours.

Place 4-6 shrimp on each skewer. It is best if each piece of shrimp is secured in two places on the skewer to help prevent them from spinning as they get flipped.

Heat a grill or grill pan over medium high heat and cook the shrimp for 3-4 minutes on each side until they turn opaque and lightly pink in color.

Sprinkle the top of the shrimp with fresh diced parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

Serve the shrimp as an appetizer, lunch or dinner. If making this a meal serve with cooked white or brown rice and grilled vegetables for a complete meal.

However, if you are making grilled shrimp skewers as an appetizer, serve with a side of Yum-Yum sauce or Bang Bang sauce for dipping.

Enjoy! Mary

Follow My Facebook Page For Great Recipes For Two! I Cook For Two Facebook Page

To receive FREE recipes delivered directly to your email, be sure to sign up for the iCookfortwo newsletter. A sign up form is located in the middle of this article. If you have any questions, comments, or want to submit an idea for a recipe for two, feel free to email at mary@icookfortwo.com