Slightly spicy, slightly smoky and absolutely delicious Jamaican Jerk shrimp is about to become your new favorite summer meal!
Raise your hand if you’re loving this grilling season.
I’m all about it! For the flavor, for the ease, and for outdoor cooking!! Not heating the house is another bonus!
I just wish I could be sipping on a chilled rosé while waiting for the food. But that’s coming in about 2 months. Until then I’ll be just enjoying my toddler running around with his lawn-mower all over the backyard. 🙂
One of latest favorite meals was this incredibly flavorful Jamaican Jerk shrimp. I served it with plain rice, but it’d be oh-so-delicious with fresh pico de gallo, or mango salsa.
For this recipe, we’re going to take a little shortcut: a store-bought jerk seasoning.
But before you turn away, let me tell you that this seasoning was recommended by my dear friend/my college roommate/Jamaican native. This’s her words: “Best Jerk Brand: WalkersWood, and second best is Grace.” And it didn’t disappoint at all!
So let’s talk details…
How to cook the best jamaican jerk shrimp
- First, we’ll need to prepare the shrimp. I recommend purchasing deveined, shell-off, tails-on, raw jumbo shrimp (I used 26/30 count per pound). That way you can just start marinating and cooking right away. But if that wasn’t an option, deveining shrimp is easy. I’ll walk you through in a bit.
- Once the shrimp is ready, add a little bit of jerk seasoning and mix well. Marinate while you start the grill. You can marinate shrimp for as little as 30 minutes, or overnight.
- Grilling shrimp takes mere minutes. Watch carefully so you don’t overcook the shrimp, or you’ll get dry, chewy tough meat, instead of succulent tender shrimp. It’ll take about 2-3 minutes per side.
How to devein shrimp:
- Carefully peel the shell.
- Using a sharp pairing knife, make a shallow cut along the back of the shrimp.
- Remove the vein in the middle, it’s usually black, but sometimes it’s clear. And that’s it!
You can drizzle some fresh lime juice over the shrimp before serving. It gives nice, bright, zesty flavor to the dish!
Jamaican Jerk Shrimp Skewers
Ingredients
- 1 lb raw shrimp 26/30 count per pound, peeled, deveined and tail-on
- 1-2 teaspoons Grace Jamaican Jerk Seasoning
For garnish:
- Fresh thyme
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Soak 10 long wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes. Or skip this step if using metal skewers (these are my favorite).
- Place peeled and deveined shrimp in a medium bowl.
- Add jerk seasoning and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.
- Thread shrimp onto skewers. About 5 shrimp per skewer.
- Preheat the grill to medium high. Lightly oil the grates with paper towel dipped in vegetable oil.
- Grill shrimp skewers until they turn opaque and cooked through, flipping over half way, 2-3 minutes per side.
- To bake, arrange the shrimp skewers on baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 10-15 minutes, or until opaque and cooked through.
Nutrition Facts:
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