Spicy Grilled Shrimp

Spicy Grilled Shrimp is made with an amazing chili, lemon, and garlic marinade. This spicy grilled shrimp recipe is full of delicious flavors that will send your tastebuds soaring! Hot and spicy shrimp will be your new grilling fave.

If you love grilling as much as we do, then you are definitely going to want to try out these Grilled Artichokes or Elotes Mexicanos (grilled Mexican Corn on the Cob). This side dish pairs perfectly with grilled spicy shrimp or these delicious, tangy Salt & Vinegar Potatoes.

Summer is almost here…which means it’s almost grilling season. Woohoo! Of course, we normally start barbecuing in the spring when the weather is cooperating. We get some pretty big storms coming across the south and when the rain is dumping down, grilling is not really possible. This grilled shrimp recipe is easily adaptable to make on the stove if you have bad weather, but still have a craving for shrimp.

This shrimp recipe is so perfect for making for every day dinners, but it’s special enough to make on those summer holidays. We especially like making it for Memorial Day, Fourth of July, or Labor Day.

Oh my seafood! You guys, this shrimp is the best! It is our absolute favorite spicy shrimp to grill. We have been eating this shrimp recipe for years and years. We have made this recipe so many times that I have lost count.

If you are looking for a quick dinner, this spicy shrimp is really one of the fastest things you can make on the grill. More often than not, I get the shrimp that has already been peeled and deveined. It is so worth the cost to buy the shrimp that have already been cleaned. If you would like to peel your own shrimp follow these easy directions.

This marinade is super flavorful and kept simple with just 6 ingredients that you more than likely have right in your pantry. Nothing fancy needed here. It has just enough spice and is perfectly seasoned with lemon and garlic. Easily make this shrimp less spicy by cutting the ground red pepper amount in half or omitting it completely.

What do you soak shrimp in before grilling?

I like to marinate my shrimp before cooking it. This shrimp gets soaked in a spicy chili marinade before it gets grilled. Technically you want to be sure that you don’t marinate the shrimp for more than an hour (the acidity in the lemon juice will begin to cook the shrimp). But, I have accidentally left it for a few hours and the shrimp still came out tasting delicious.

How to Cook Shrimp on the Grill without Skewers?

It happens, you discover that your kids have used the last of the wooden skewers for an art project…sigh. Yes, this happens at my house. The wooden skewers just magically disappear, who knows what happens to them most of the time.

Not to fret! You don’t even need to make a run to the grocery store to get more. It’s easy to make these shrimp without the use of skewers (we really only use them so that the shrimpy goodness doesn’t meet an untimely death to the barbecue flames and to quickly turn them). I like to use a heat resistant cooling rack right on the grill. The rack I like to use has the little squares. Place the individual shrimp on the rack and grill according the directions.

Using Frozen Shrimp

Using frozen shrimp in recipes can be a great substitute if you don’t have access to fresh shrimp. I like to use fresh shrimp, but fresh or frozen will taste great. Fresh shrimp should be used within 24 hours of purchasing, so it doesn’t go bad.

How to Thaw Frozen Shrimp

There are two methods to use for defrosting frozen shrimp. The first is to thaw the shrimp overnight in the fridge. The second method (my favorite method) is to place the frozen shrimp into a well-sealed ziplock bag. Place the bag of shrimp in a bowl or sink of cold water. Let sit at room temp for 20 minutes until the shrimp is thawed. You will want to grill the shrimp within 12 hours of it being defrosted.

How to Place Shrimp on a Skewer

The reason that we use skewers while cooking shrimp on the grill is so that the little shrimp dudes don’t fall through the shrimp grates. It’s super easy to thread the shrimp onto the skewers. I like to thread my shrimp after it has been soaking in the marinade. Hold a skewer in one hand and one shrimp in the other. Place the pokey end of the skewer right through the shrimp. Repeat for all of them, leaving a little space between each shrimp.

I typically soak 8-10 wooden skewers just to be sure that I have enough. It will all depend on the size of your shrimp, you can do a few more or a few less.

Spicy Shrimp Ingredients

• Shrimp: Fresh, raw shrimp or prawns. For ease of use, I like to buy the shrimp already peeled and deveined. If you
• Oil: Extra virgin olive oil is my favorite to use.
• Chili Sauce: My favorite sauce to use is Huy Fong Chili Sauce or Chili Garlic Sauce. If you can’t find the one with garlic, I recommend adding an extra clove or two of garlic.
• Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice is the best, about 1/2 a lemon.
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Garlic: Freshly minced garlic, 4-5 cloves.
• Ground Red Pepper: Dried, ground red pepper. really adds an extra kick of spice.

How to Make Spicy Shrimp on the Grill

Make grilled shrimp by following these easy directions or for even more detail read the recipe card below.

1. Prepare skewers. Put wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes or use metal skewers.
2. Prep the shrimp. I like to rinse the shrimp and clean them up a bit. Put the shrimp into a gallon size zip bag.
3. Make the marinade. In a medium sized bowl, combine together the olive oil, chili sauce, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and ground red pepper.
4. Marinate the shrimp. Pull out 1/4 cup of the marinade for brushing on the shrimp while it’s grilling. Pour the mixture into the zip lock bag over the shrimp. Put it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, but .
5. Prepare the grill. Preheat the grill to medium hight heat (350° to 400° F).
6. Assemble skewers. Thread the shrimp onto the skewers and discard the marinade.
7. Grill it up. Grill the shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes on one side, baste, then flip over. Baste the other side, cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

How to Cook Spicy Shrimp Without Skewers

1. Prepare the shrimp and make the marinade (pulling out 1/4 cup for basting).
2. Place the shrimp into the marinade, let it soak for 20 minutes.
3. Turn on the stove over medium-high heat and add in olive oil or butter.
4. Make sure the oil is hot and add in shrimp (it should sizzle on contact).
5. Cook 2-3 minutes on one side, baste it, then flip it over. Baste and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Spicy Shrimp Tips and Variations

• Control the spiciness. The ground red pepper really adds an extra kick of spice. If you like it less spicy, cut the amount in half or omit it completely.
• Add extra garlic. If you can’t find the chili sauce with garlic, I recommend adding an extra clove or two.
• Don’t marinade for too long. Since this recipe has an acidic marinade, you won’t want to let the shrimp marinate for too long or the enzymes from the lemon juice can make the shrimp mushy.
• Don’t cook too long. Make sure not to overcook the shrimp on the barbecue or the texture will become rubbery. You won’t want to cook the shrimp for more than 2-3 minutes on each side.
• Buying pre-peeled is a time saver. Peeled and de-veined shrimp is the best way to go, in my opinion. Yes, it costs more, but the amount of time you save is SO worth it. If you really want to peel the shrimp yourself try out these step by step instructions to help you along the way.

Commonly Asked Questions

• What is hot and spicy shrimp? Hot and spicy shrimp is a delicious way to prepare shrimp. This recipe is made with a chili sauce and ground red pepper to make it spicy!
• Tail on the shrimp? You can buy peeled and deveined shrimp with or without tails. I like to buy them without tails. If you get shrimp with the tails you can either take the tails off before marinating them or save the time and grill them with the tails. It is up to you.
• How to grill shrimp without skewers? If you want to grill the shrimp without skewers, just place them on a heat safe cookie cooling rack right on the grill. Cook according to the directions in the recipe card.
• Can you cook shrimp without a grill? If the weather has gotten bad and you can no longer grill outside, you can make this shrimp right on the stove.
• How to grill shrimp skewers on a gas grill? Just preheat the grill to medium-high heat (350°-400°F). Place shrimp on grill for 2-3 minutes per side, basting in between.
• How to make grilled shrimp skewers? It’s easy to make these shrimp skewers. Just marinate, skewer the shrimp, and barbecue.

Storage Instructions for Spicy Shrimp

• How to Refrigerate Shrimp: Let the shrimp cool and put in a glass container or BPA-free airtight plastic container or zipper bag. It should last about 2 days in the fridge.
• How to Reheat Shrimp: Cold shrimp is actually pretty good without reheating. If you would like to reheat the shrimp, heat up a skillet over low heat and cook until desired warmth is reached.

Try these other barbecue recipes!

• Grilled Artichokes
• Mexican Street Corn
• Grilled Chicken
• Grilled Soy Brown Sugar Salmon

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