Garlic Butter Shrimp Skewers

Name: Garlic Butter Shrimp Skewers
Prep time: 28 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 33 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 lb (907 g) large shrimp (16-20 count per pound), peeled and deveined, tails left on, patted very dry; 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil; 3 cloves (9 g) garlic, finely grated or minced; 2 tsp (5 g) smoked paprika; 1 tbsp (6 g) lemon zest, finely grated from about 2 lemons (zest before juicing); 1 tsp (4 g) kosher salt; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces; 3 cloves (9 g) garlic, finely minced; 3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice, from the zested lemons; 3 tbsp (12 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 1 whole (85 g) lemon, cut into 6 wedges; 1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil, such as avocado or canola, for oiling the grill grates

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Juicy jumbo shrimp are marinated briefly in garlic, lemon zest and smoked paprika, grilled over high heat until lightly charred, then brushed with warm garlic-lemon butter and finished with fresh parsley.

Prep: 28 min
Cook: 5 min
Wait: 45 min
Total: 1 hr 18 min
Makes: 8 skewers (4 servings, 2 skewers each)

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Ingredients

4 servings

2 lb (907 g) large shrimp (16-20 count per pound), peeled and deveined, tails left on, patted very dry
For the marinade
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
3 cloves (9 g) garlic, finely grated or minced
2 tsp (5 g) smoked paprika
1 tbsp (6 g) lemon zest, finely grated from about 2 lemons (zest before juicing)
1 tsp (4 g) kosher salt
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
For the garlic butter
6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 cloves (9 g) garlic, finely minced
3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice, from the zested lemons
3 tbsp (12 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
To serve
1 whole (85 g) lemon, cut into 6 wedges
1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil, such as avocado or canola, for oiling the grill grates

Equipment (8)

Gas or charcoal grill (or cast-iron grill pan)
8 wooden or metal skewers, 10-12 inches (25-30 cm) long
Large mixing bowl
Small saucepan
Basting brush
Long-handled tongs
Instant-read thermometer
Microplane or fine grater

Steps

Before you start

If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes so they don't burn on the grill.
Thaw frozen shrimp in the fridge overnight, or in a bowl of cold water for 15-20 minutes, then pat very dry.
You need 3 lemons in total: 2 for zest and juice, and 1 for serving wedges.
Do not marinate the shrimp longer than 20 minutes, and keep lemon juice out of the marinade, or the texture turns mushy.
Have tongs, brush and a serving platter within reach before grilling because shrimp cook in just a few minutes.

1
Soak the skewers
- If using wooden skewers, place all 8 in a long dish and cover with water.
- Let them soak for 30 minutes.
- Metal skewers need no soaking.
- While they soak, zest the lemons, then juice them and set the zest and juice aside separately.
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Ready when: Skewers are fully submerged and waterlogged
Tip: Zest the lemons before juicing; zesting a juiced lemon is much harder.
2
Dry the shrimp
- Pat the peeled, deveined shrimp thoroughly dry with paper towels on both sides.
- Transfer to a large bowl.
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Ready when: No visible surface moisture on the shrimp
Tip: Dry shrimp pick up char and flavor; wet shrimp steam.
3
Marinate the shrimp
- Add the olive oil, grated garlic, smoked paprika, lemon zest, salt and pepper to the shrimp.
- Toss until every shrimp is evenly coated.
- Leave at room temperature for 15 minutes while you make the garlic butter and thread the skewers.
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Ready when: Shrimp are evenly coated in a red-orange paste
Tip: Do not add the lemon juice here or the shrimp will turn mushy.
4
Make the garlic butter
- In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter.
- Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and half of the parsley (1½ tbsp).
- Keep warm near the grill.
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Ready when: Garlic smells sweet and fragrant and is still pale, not brown
Tip: Burnt garlic turns bitter; pull the pan off the heat the moment it's fragrant.
5
Thread the skewers
- Thread 4 or 5 shrimp onto each of the 8 skewers.
- Pierce each shrimp twice, once near the tail and once near the head, so it forms a loose C and lies flat.
- Leave a small gap between shrimp.
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Ready when: Each shrimp lies flat in a C shape with small gaps between
Tip: Crowded shrimp cook unevenly and stay pale where they touch.
6
Preheat and oil the grill
- Heat the grill to high, about 450-500°F (230-260°C), for 10 minutes.
- Scrape the grates clean.
- Fold a paper towel, dip it in the neutral oil, and use tongs to wipe the grates.
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Ready when: Grates are very hot and look glossy after oiling
Tip: Clean, hot, oiled grates stop the shrimp from sticking.
7
Grill the first side
- Lay the skewers on the grill in a single layer and close the lid if you have one.
- Grill for 2 minutes without moving them, until the undersides are pink with light char marks.
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Ready when: Undersides are opaque pink with light grill marks
Tip: If the shrimp stick, give them another 20 seconds; they release when seared.
8
Flip and baste
- Flip the skewers with tongs.
- Brush the tops with about half the garlic butter.
- Grill 1-2 minutes more, until the shrimp are opaque, curled into a loose C and read 145°F (63°C) in the thickest part.
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Ready when: Flesh is opaque pink-white in a loose C; a tight O means overcooked
Tip: Shrimp go from perfect to rubbery in under a minute, so stay at the grill.
9
Finish and serve
- Move the skewers to a platter.
- Rewarm the remaining garlic butter if it has firmed, then spoon it over the skewers.
- Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve at once with lemon wedges.
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Ready when: Shrimp glisten with butter and are flecked with green parsley
Tip: Serve right away; shrimp toughen as they sit.

Good to know

Tips

If shrimp spin when you flip the skewers, use two parallel skewers per row to keep them flat and easy to turn.
Shell-on frozen shrimp often taste better; peel and devein them yourself if you have time.
No grill? Cook in a very hot cast-iron grill pan for the same times, or broil on a rack 4 inches (10 cm) from the heat.
Use fresh butter for brushing after the shrimp are flipped, and don't reuse a brush that touched raw shrimp on the finishing butter.

Make ahead

Thread the raw, unmarinated shrimp onto skewers up to 8 hours ahead, cover and refrigerate. Make the garlic butter up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate; rewarm gently before using. Marinate only 15 minutes before grilling.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 1 hour. Refrigerator: store cooked shrimp in an airtight container up to 2 days. Freezer: not recommended, as the texture turns rubbery. Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water or butter for 1-2 minutes, or eat cold in salads.

Substitutions

unsalted butter → salted butter or ghee. If using salted butter, reduce the kosher salt in the marinade to ½ tsp.
smoked paprika → sweet paprika plus a pinch of cayenne. Gives color with less smokiness; the cayenne adds gentle heat.
fresh flat-leaf parsley → fresh chives or cilantro. Use the same amount for a different fresh herb flavor.
large shrimp (16-20 count per pound) → jumbo shrimp (13-15 count). Jumbo shrimp need about 1 extra minute total; thread 3 or 4 per skewer.