Grilled Buffalo Shrimp Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to grill shrimp without drying it out? ›

The best way to grill shrimp is to toss the shrimp in a marinade with olive oil, a splash of lemon juice, and dried herbs. Let the shrimp rest for 15 minutes to soak up the flavor. Next, skewer the shrimp and grill just until opaque, about 2 minutes per side.

Preheat your grill to 350-450°F and set it up for direct cooking. Grill the shrimp over direct, medium heat for 5-7 minutes, turning the shrimp halfway through the process. The outside of the shrimp should turn a nice pink color when it is cooked while the meat inside should be white and opaque.

If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20 minutes before using them. I don't recommend using small or medium shrimp for grilling. It's difficult to thread them on skewers, and they are so small that they can become too dry on the grill. The best shrimp sizes for grilling are large, extra-large, or jumbo.

They will cook through in less than 2 minutes, so it's a race to develop a nice exterior char as quickly as you can. For grills (charcoal, propane, etc), you will want to pre-heat with the lid down to get the metal grill grate really hot. Then open the lid and cook the shrimp over high heat with the lid up.

Start With a Dry Brine, No Matter How You're Cooking

Before we dive into the details, there's one technique that we've found improves all shrimp, regardless of cooking method: a quick dry brine with salt and baking soda.

large peeled deveined shrimp with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil to the pan, then arrange shrimp in a single layer on the bottom of the skillet. Cook without moving for 2 minutes for medium shrimp, 3 minutes for large shrimp, or 4 minutes for jumbo shrimp.

These savory little crustaceans taste best with seasoning that complements their unique umami flavor. The top three spice blends for shrimp are garlic butter, Old Bay Seasoning, and blackened seasoning, and they are easy to make at home!

You can and should marinate or season your shrimp before grilling it. Marinades generally take a little longer. You should marinate shrimp for no less than 30 minutes, but you can quickly toss shrimp in seasoning just before grilling.

To prevent the shrimp from falling through the grates, thread them onto skewers first. We recommend lining them up and skewering them with two skewers snugly so they're hugging each other. If using bamboo skewers, soak them in cold water for 30 minutes first to prevent them from burning.

Pink shrimp are some of the tastiest shrimp you can find, mild and sweet without the distinctive ammonia taste some of the brown and white shrimp have. Just don't expect a vibrantly hued patch of shrimp at the market—pink shrimp can range from white to gray in color.

Should I marinate shrimp before cooking? ›

Neglecting to marinate when making sautéed shrimp can result in a bland and awful taste. This happens as your shrimp does not get enough time to soak in any flavor. Hence, always marinate your shrimp before cooking to infuse them with flavor. It does not require you to whip up a fancy mixture for marinating you shrimp.

As mentioned above, shrimp needs to be fully thawed and at room temperature to be cooked correctly. However, you should never just let it sit out or place it in warm water.

If you're cooking shrimp on a grill or in a skillet, don't wait for the color and opaqueness to change completely before flipping them — do it as soon as you see the bottom half of the shrimp is pink and opaque to avoid overcooking.

Like the flesh, the shells contain healthy amounts of glutamates and nucleotides, compounds that dramatically enhance savory umami flavor when present together in food. These compounds also get transferred to the meat during cooking, amplifying the effect of the glutamates and nucleotides in the shrimp's flesh.

Place thawed shrimp on a plate lined with paper towels and pat to remove excess water.

How can I avoid a fishy taste in my shrimp dishes? Purchase fresh shrimp and cook them soon after buying. Rinse shrimp properly under cold water to remove any dirt and pat them dry before cooking to reduce any lingering fishy flavor.

Grilling the Shrimp

Now it's time to fire up the grill! Preheat your grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking. Place the already cooked shrimp on the grill and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. You'll know they're ready when they develop a light char and are heated through.