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Season juicy shrimp with the perfect spices and flame grill to perfection with this quick and easy guide on how to grill shrimp.
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Choosing the shrimp
Brown and white shrimp are the primary shrimp harvested in the United States. Brown shrimp are available May - August and White shrimp September - December.
You can of course purchase frozen shrimp online at meat and seafood stores if you do not live near the coast or they are out of season. Using other shrimp from around the world is also fun to try something a little different!
Sizes
Shrimp come in 3 different sizes. This is measured by how many shrimp will weigh 1 pound.
- Small -- 21-25 count
- Medium -- 16-20 count
- Large -- 10-15 count (Jumbo Shrimp)
Using larger shrimp is the best when grilling. If you can find 10-15 count, this is the best! 16-20 count is also great for grilling.
This was inspired by another crustacean recipe on this site, my smoked lobster tail recipe, and pairs well with this amazing smoked corn recipe.
Ingredients
There is NOT much that needs to be done to shrimp to make them taste amazing.
I am using a little oil to coat the shrimp and then dusting the grilled shrimp with either of my two favorite seafood seasonings.
- Pink, Brown, or White shrimp
- Olive oil
- Blackening seasoning
- Old Bay seasoning
- Lemon wedges
See recipe card for quantities.
Prep & Season - Grilling Shrimp
Preheat the grill to 400-450°F and clean the grill grate with a brush or onion cut in half to remove any remnants of previously cooked food.
Peel head & shell off shrimp. Leave the tail on shrimp, it looks much better! Cut along the back of the shrimp with sharp knife.
Butterfly and devein shrimp. These are the end trails and NO ONE likes eating this.
Season shrimp with oil and spices. I used a large bowl to mix everything evenly.
Place shrimp on water soaked skewers. Should be able to fit 5-6 shrimp on each.
Make sure you soak those wooden skewers in water for at least 10 minutes. Otherwise they could catch fire when grilling.
Grilling Shrimp
Preheat your grill to 400-450°F and clean grill. I am using my Weber grill when cooking these shrimp.
You can use a charcoal grill, pellet grill, or propane grill like mine. They will all be able to cook these shrimp to perfection.
Cooking time
Place the shrimp skewers directly on the grill grates and close the lid.
Grill for 1.5-2 minutes per side. Shrimp cook VERY fast, so don't stray far from your grill. After the first 2 minutes, flip the skewers of shrimp over and cook another 2 minutes.
Testing when finished
Test the shrimp with an instant read thermometer for an internal temperature of 145°F. This is when the shrimp are finished cooking and need to be pulled off the grill.
Don't have an thermometer?! No worries. The shrimp are finished when they are no longer translucent inside and are firm to the touch. They should have an pinkish opaque look when they are finished cooking.
Hint: Let the grill run for 4-5 minutes at 400-450 degrees fahrenheit to burn off any remnants, then clean it. I like to use a grill brush (affiliate link) or an onion cut in half for cleaning the grill.
Finishing touches
Make sure to cut up several lemons into wedges so you and your guest can sprinkle on lemon juice once finished cooking.
Top with some chopped fresh parsley for a nice presentation.
Seasoning Substitutions
Looking for a less spicy bbq shrimp recipe? If not using seasonings, coating with butter and some garnish creates an irresistible alternative flavored grilled shrimp recipe.
- Salted Butter - melted
- Black Pepper - freshly cracked
- Garlic - use powder or fresh minced
- Parsley - chopped
Video (Step-by-Step)
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. These will stay good for 2 days.
You can microwave or heat in the oven if you want them hot. These are also great COLD on a salad or in shrimp tacos!
Top tip
Do NOT overcook shrimp. Use an instant read thermometer to finish cooking at 145°F if you are not familiar with cooking shrimp. Overcooked shrimp are dry and chewy, NO ONE likes that.
FAQ
1.5-2 minutes per side on a grill that has a temperature of 450°F. Shrimp cook very fast, so beware to not overcook them.
Yes! Grilled shrimp with a simple seasoning have protein and are healthy. It's when you drown them in butter or other bad marinades that can make them not the healthiest choice.
I prefer marinating BEFORE cooking because the marinade or spices soak into the shrimp and stick to them better. If brushed with sauce afterwards, it's more likely to fall off the shrimp and not stick to them.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Grilled Shrimp:
Ingredients
- 1 lb white or brown shrimp
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon old bay seasoning
Instructions
- Remove shell from shrimp, but leave tail on. Place wood skewers in a bowl or plate of water to soak.
- Using a knife, slice along the back of the shrimp butterflying it. This will reveal the "vein". Remove the vein with your fingers and rinse shrimp clean. De-vein all shrimp.
- Coat the shrimp with olive oil and sprinkle with old bay seasoning. Blackening seasoning is also a great seasoning. If wanting a more buttery flavor; use the butter, pepper, garlic, and parsley seasonings located in the above recipe post.
- Pierce 4-5 shrimp on each water soaked wooden skewer. Pierce through the tail and body of the shrimp so they are in a U shape.
- Pre-heat grill to 400°F and clean with brush. I also like using an onion cut in half. Rub along the grill grates to clean of any remnants of your last grill.
- Place the shrimp directly on the grill grates and grill for 1.5 - 2 minutes. Flip and grill another 1.5-2 minutes. Shrimp will be finished when the internal temperature when tested with an instant read thermometer is 145°F. If you do not have a thermometer. The shrimp are finished when they are no longer translucent inside and firm. Shrimp cook fast, be careful not to overcook.
- Enjoy! If you made these grilled shrimp, please leave a review. It really helps me out. Thanks!
Pro Tips
- Leave tail of shrimp on when grilling. It makes them look 10x better when presented on a platter and many people enjoy eating the tail.
- Choose large shrimp for grilling. It's easier to pierce on a skewer and have a better bite than smaller shrimp.
- Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 10 minutes before skewering shrimp. Dry wooden skewers could catch fire if not soaked in water.
- Be sure to de-vein shrimp. They look better when finished cooking and NO ONE likes shrimp that are not de-veined.
Nutrition
Food safety
Make sure to prevent any food illnesses by following these food safety tips.
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 145 °F
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods, especially when defrosting. Thaw any frozen shrimp in the refrigerator.
- Never leave cooking food unattended
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