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Spicy Grilled Shrimp Skewers

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on November 9, 2011

Time

30 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Spicy Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper Salt ½ cup hot red pepper jelly 1 teaspoon grated zest and 2 tablespoons juice from 1 lime

Instructions

  1. Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Thread shrimp on skewers and brush with 1 tablespoon 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.
Spicy Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Spicy Grilled Shrimp Skewers

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

30 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt
½ cup hot red pepper jelly
1 teaspoon grated zest and 2 tablespoons juice from 1 lime

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt
½ cup hot red pepper jelly
1 teaspoon grated zest and 2 tablespoons juice from 1 lime

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt
½ cup hot red pepper jelly
1 teaspoon grated zest and 2 tablespoons juice from 1 lime

Why This Recipe Works

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. We wanted a consistent version—and we found that the secret to a consistent grilled shrimp skewer recipe is extra-large shrimp. We crowded the skewered shrimp in tight rows to allow for more direct heat and better charring. For best results from our Spicy Grilled Shrimp Skewers recipe, we used metal skewers. Wooden ones have a tendency to burn. We needed four 12-inch skewers for this grilled shrimp recipe. Pepper jelly became a syrupy glaze when reduced on the stove. Fresh lime juice cut 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 kept them moist over the heat.

Instructions

  1. Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Thread shrimp on skewers and brush with 1 tablespoon 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.

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