Friday, July 24, 2009

Lemon & Garlic Barbecued Shrimp

My first post after a long pause of course had to be something quick & easy! Because that's how lazy I am these days.

BBQ Shrimp. Delicious. Super easy. Super fast.



I have fallen in love with the shrimp that I get at the Asian grocery store. It's dense white color and sweet flavor taste very much like the very expensive sweet shrimp I used to get from my local seafood market. The shells are also quite soft, so we just eat them shells and all!

You can season your shrimp with just about anything you like. I tend to stick to the simple garlic & lemon flavor though, because to me it's absolutely perfect. But, for those who like spice, you can also add cajun spice to your mix and that's awesome as well!


For 2 of us, I had just under a pound of shrimp, with shells on. In a bowl I mixed enough canola oil to nicely coat the shrimp, but not be soupy (it was about 1/8 cup). Add salt and pepper to taste, and a teaspoon of dried granulated garlic/garlic powder. I like garlic powder for the flavor, it stays garlicky and doesn't turn sweet, and it sticks well to the shrimp. Also, fresh garlic will turn bitter if it's burnt, and you do want to cook the shrimp on high heat, so the edges will get dark. Lastly, I add the juice of 1/2 of a good sized lemon. The other half of the lemon I add to the mix right before cooking.

Mix well, like you're making a salad dressing. Toss in shrimp, coat well, and let it sit for about 15 minutes in the refrigerator.



Heat your grill on high to about 450. Grill the shrimp on a smaller mesh piece to keep them from falling through, or you can get all fancy and do it kabob style.


It goes quick! Most medium sized shrimp will take no more than about 2-3 minutes on each side.


The best flavor is when they are slightly charred and crisp on the outside, but still tender on the inside. We eat them simply, over plain white basmati rice.