Spicy Grilled Shrimp Skewers
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb shrimp (extra-large, peeled and deveined)
- 28 g unsalted butter (melted, divided [2T])
- 1/8 t cayenne pepper
- Salt (Sea) (to taste)
- 1/4 c red pepper jelly (60mL)
- 1/2 t grated lime zest
- 1 T fresh lime juice
Method
1. Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Thread shrimp on skewers and brush with half the butter. Season with cayenne and salt.
2. Heat jelly in saucepan over medium heat until bubbling. Off heat, whisk in remaining butter, lime zest, and lime juice. Cover and keep warm.
3. Grill shrimp over hot fire until lightly charred, about 2 minutes per side. Brush with glaze. Serve.
Notes
When the weather gets warmer, we like to make this easy grilled appetizer. But just because it’s simple doesn’t mean it’s foolproof. The secret is in the shrimp size. Here’s what we discovered:
- Extra-large shrimp are the key to even cooking on the grill. Crowd the skewered shrimp in tight rows to allow for more direct heat and better charring.
- For best results, use metal skewers. Wooden ones have a tendency to burn. You will need two 12-inch skewers for this recipe.
- Pepper jelly becomes a syrupy glaze when reduced on the stove. Fresh lime juice cuts through the sweetness and spice of the jelly to create a well-balanced glaze for the shrimp.
- Brushing the shrimp with melted better before grilling keeps them moist over the heat.
SJ Note 26 June 2011: This was really tasty! The sauce is more than we needed; we have enough to do another entree, so I'll be brushing it over chicken soon. Did it in the George Foreman grill this time. This originally called for 3/4 pound of shrimp for two people, but that was a bit much, so I think 1/2 pound will be sufficient next time.
SJ Note 30 June 2011: Worked really well over chicken - also done on the George Foreman grill.