Description
By now you probably know we love sweet Argentinian Red shrimp for their delicate texture and their natural sweetness. For this grilled red shrimp recipe, we add a bit of delicious smoky flavor to them before a quick 4-minute grill. Use a grill pan or fire up the outdoor grill to cook these shrimp. They’re delicious no matter what, plus they’re ready to eat in just 4 minutes, and also happen to be low in calories making them really hard to beat for easy weeknight dinners. Pile them on top of a salad, throw them on a slider, or stuff your quesadillas with these smoky sweet shrimp.
Ingredients
- 1/2 to 3/4 pound Argentinian Red shrimp (or other sweet shrimp) deveined with tails on and patted dry (230-300g)
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil (10g)
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika (2g)
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (2g)
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder (1g)
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Clean and season the shrimp. Remove the shells from the shrimp leaving only the tail attached and devein. Butterfly the shrimp if desired to give them more surface area for cooking. Pat the shrimp dry and place them into a bowl. Add the extra virgin olive oil and spices and gently massage the shrimp until evenly coated. Use immediately or cover them and place them in the fridge to marinate for 20 minutes, or up to overnight.
- Grill the Shrimp. Increase the heat to medium-high heat and just when the skillet begins to smoke, add the shrimp in one single layer (avoid overcrowding the pan) and sprinkle them with salt to taste. Do not move them once they hit the hot skillet. Let the shrimp cook for about 2 minutes, or until they turn reddish-orange and have a golden sear. Flip them over and grill for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes more, until just opaque and cooked through. Remove from the skillet and serve immediately, Enjoy!
Notes
What Texture Should Cooked Shrimp Be
Shrimp should be tender and springy and the best way to avoid rubbery or chewy shrimp is not to overcook them. It’s essential to cook shrimp just until they’re opaque and have turned a reddish-orange or pink color (about 2 to 4 minutes total depending on the size and type of shrimp). Keep in mind red shrimp cook just a bit faster than other types of shrimp because they’re fattier.
How to Buy the Best Shrimp (Even If It’s Frozen)
Sometimes frozen shrimp can be a better option than buying fresh shrimp especially if you live in a landlocked area of the country. Follow these basic guidelines for buying the best shrimp.
- Buy shrimp from a reputable source like a local fishmonger, or mom-and-pop seafood shop.
- Buy fresh (never frozen) shrimp when available and always ask the employee which shrimp is the freshest and how old it is.
- Check all the dates of frozen or fresh shrimp and don’t buy shrimp with very old dates or you risk getting an inferior product that may even be inedible.
- Smell the shrimp if they’ll let you and if it smells clean and fresh that’s a good sign, but if it smells like ammonia take a pass and buy something else.
- Check the texture and do not buy shrimp that looks leathery or “shreddy” which indicates it’s been frozen too long, stored improperly, or just old.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 4
- Category: Fish + Seafood
- Method: Grilled or Pan-Seared
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 to 6 ounces
