Smoked shrimp is an amazingly delicious recipe that only takes 15 minutes on the grill. Yes, you read that right; while most smoked dishes take hours and hours, this easy recipe is ready to eat in mere minutes.
A quick marinade in blackened seasoning, olive oil, and lemon juice flavors the shrimp, along with the faint smokiness from the grill, makes this a seafood recipe that you will want to make time and time again.
Three reasons you will love this recipe:
- It only takes 15 minutes to marinate and then 15 minutes to smoke it.
- It’s versatile and makes a delicious main dish or an appetizer. It’s also an excellent add-in for green or pasta salads, dips, or pasta casseroles.
- I include ideas and suggestions below to use this delicious smoked shellfish in your recipes.
Here’s what’s in it:
- Shrimp: fresh or frozen and defrosted work. I like to use shrimp that are 21-25 shrimp per pound. Be sure to get them deveined and peeled. You can leave the tail on or off.
- Blackened seasoning: full of oregano, thyme, cumin, garlic, and onion powder, paprika, brown sugar, salt, black and cayenne pepper, and brown sugar; this seasoning imparts a delicious smoky taste to the shrimp.
- Lemon juice: is combined with butter to add additional flavor to the shrimp.
- Olive oil: a common ingredient in dressings and marinades, adds flavor and brings all ingredients together.
How to make it:
- For a Big Green Egg, preheat the egg to 200-225 degrees F. Add a handful of pre-soaked pecan wood, then set the Egg for indirect cooking by adding the plate setter, legs up, and the grill grate.
- If you are using another grill or smoker, follow your grill manufacturer’s directions for smoking and preheat to 200-225 degrees F.
- For the marinade, mix the olive oil, blackened seasoning, and one tablespoon of lemon juice in a small bowl.
- Pour the marinade on top of the shrimp and toss to make sure all are covered. Let it marinate for 5 to 15 minutes.
- When the grill is ready, place the drained seafood on a grill basket that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and spread out in an even layer.
- Combine the butter and remaining one tablespoon of lemon juice in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.
- Place the grill basket on the grill grate and close the lid. Cook for five minutes. Open the lid and quickly baste the shrimp with the butter and lemon juice mixture. Close the lid and cook for five more minutes, baste again and repeat one more time for a total of 15 minutes cooking time.
- Remove the grill basket and serve. Optional garnish with parsley before serving.
Frequently asked questions:
What’s the best way to serve them?
Besides serving plain as an appetizer or main dish, smoked shrimp can be used as an ingredient in tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, gumbo, jambalaya, and fried rice. They also pair beautifully with grits for smoked shrimp and grits. In addition, they are also incredibly delicious in shrimp cocktails and can be used to make my Cheesy Creole Shrimp Toast.
What goes well with them?
Shrimp and grits are a marriage made in heaven, and I like to serve them with cheese grits or my make-ahead southern cheese grits casserole. They would also be wonderful paired with these Southern-style side dishes: Fried Cabbage, Crispy Onion Rings, Fried Sweet Corn, Crispy Fried Potatoes, Baked Mac and Cheese, or Baked Tomato Casserole.
Should you devein them?
It’s a matter of personal preference. I always devein large, extra-large, and jumbo shrimp. The larger the shrimp, the more app they are to have a gritty texture if not deveined. As a rule, I don’t ever devein smaller ones.
Can you smoke them if they are already cooked?
Unfortunately, you can’t smoke already cooked shrimp. Shrimp cooks so quickly; if you tried to smoke it when it was already done, it would dry out and be tough.
Do you peel them before smoking?
I have seen recipes where the peel was left on to keep the shrimp from drying out and provide more flavor. But, I prefer to peel them before smoking and think this allows them to absorb more of the lemon and butter sauce.
What temperature should they be cooked to?
According to FoodSafety.gov, the safe internal temperature for shrimp is 120 degrees. But because shrimp are small and cook so quickly, I think it is easier to tell if your smoked shrimp are done by their appearance rather than trying to find a place to stick a meat thermometer.
How to tell when they are done?
You can tell when they are done when the thickest part turns from translucent to opaque.
What about leftovers?
Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. I usually serve leftovers cold and don’t try to reheat them to keep them from drying out.
Sharon’s Tips:
- The smoking time in this recipe is timed for extra-large shrimp, which generally means 21-25 per pound. If your’s are larger or smaller, it will take more or less time to cook them.
- Keep an eye on these crustaceans; they cook quickly, and sometimes only a matter of seconds means the difference in tender and juicy and dry and tough shrimp.
- I usually leave the tails on when serving smoked shrimp as an appetizer or main dish and remove the tails when I combine them with something else. It’s up to you.
- Here is a link to a recipe for the blackened season I used in this recipe. It is a little on the spicy side. If you don’t like much heat, reduce the amount you use. You can also use a purchased blackened seasoning product. I like Old Bay or Paul Prudhomme’s blend of spices.
- You can use different types of wood for smoking. I used pecan because it has a milder flavor, and I was afraid hickory or mesquite would be too strong. You could also use other milder fruitwoods.
- Do not marinate the shrimp for longer than 15 minutes.
Related Recipes:
If you like smoked meats, you might also like my Smoked Spatchcock Chicken Recipe, Smoked Chicken Thighs, and Easy Smoked Ham recipes, They take a little longer than the shrimp, but they have that same smoky vibe. If you are looking for even more of these recipes, here is a link for all of my recipes cooked on a grill or smoker.
If you are as big a fan of these shellfish as we are, I think you might also enjoy these popular recipes on my blog:
- Brown Sugar Glazed Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
- Roasted Shrimp Pasta Salad
- Shrimp Caesar Salad with Caesar Salad Dressing
- The Best Crispy Buffalo Shrimp
- Quick and Easy Creamy Shrimp Creole
- Blackened Shrimp
You can also find more related recipes in the seafood section on my blog.
★ If you make this dish, please leave a comment and give this recipe a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones!
Smoked Shrimp- A Quick and Easy Recipe:
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds shrimp extra-large, 21-25 per lb, fresh or frozen, peeled and deveined, with or without tails
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon blackened seasoning purchased or homemade
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice divided
- ½ cup melted butter
- Optional fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- For a Big Green Egg, preheat the egg to 200-225 degrees F. Add a handful of pre-soaked pecan wood, then set the Egg for indirect cooking by adding the plate setter and the grill grate.
- If you are using another grill or smoker, follow your grill manufacturer's directions and preheat to 200-225 degrees F.
- For the marinade, mix the olive oil, blackened seasoning, and one tablespoon of lemon juice in a small bowl. Pour the marinade on top of the shrimp and toss to make sure all are covered. Let it marinate for five to 15 minutes.
- When the grill is ready, place the drained seafood on a grill basket that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and spread out in an even layer.
- Combine the butter and lemon juice in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.
- Place the grill basket on the grill grate and close the lid. Cook for five minutes. Open the lid and quickly baste the shrimp with the butter and lemon juice mixture. Close the lid and cook for five more minutes, baste again and repeat one more time for a total of 15 minutes cooking time.
- Remove the grill basket and serve.
- Optional garnish with parsley before serving.
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