Grilled Peri-Peri Shrimp

Hot, spicy, and sweet these grilled peri peri shrimp are a must make this summer.

If you are reading this at the time of posting, it is May, and that means grilling season is officially here. What better reason to fire up that grill than for these fiery peri-peri shrimp? These grilled shrimp hit all the flavors: spicy, sweet, slightly acidic, and herby. Perfect for an outdoor BBQ entertaining friends and family. So, go on, grab your apron, gather your ingredients, and get ready to celebrate the beginning of summer with these mouthwatering peri-peri shrimp.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR GRILLED PERI PERI SHRIMP

• Shrimp – This recipe calls for extra-large, meaty shrimp—solid 2-3 biters. Can you use large shrimp? Sure, you’re just going to have to adjust and shorten the cook time. I like to buy my shrimp on the day of cooking from a seafood counter (these large tiger shrimp were bought from Whole Foods). You can absolutely use frozen shrimp; just make sure you defrost them appropriately as per the packaging instructions well before cooking.
• Peri-Peri Spice Blend – The non-negotiable, non-substitutable spice blend that makes these shrimp so delicious is also called piri-piri. This blend consists of paprika, onion, garlic, bird’s eye chilies, and oregano as a few other spices. It’s spicy, garlicky, and herbaceous, so just a slight warning to those who have a low tolerance for heat.
  
  Finding this spice might be a little tricky, especially if you rely on your local big-box supermarket for your spices. The Spice House is my absolute favorite for this and the rest of my spices. Here’s a direct link to their Peri-Peri Blend. If you purchase the ‘flatpack,’ it ships for free, so there’s no additional charge for convenience. Also, for 10% off, use my code THEBOLDAPPETITE.
• Garlic Powder
• Smoked Paprika – The peri-peri blend has smoked paprika in it however these shrimp need a bit more smoke flavor added.
• Honey
• Lime
• Cilantro
• Onion – The shrimp require a spacer on the skewers to hold them in place, and since they have such a short cook time, yellow onions are the perfect choice. Additionally, the grilled, charred sweet onions complement the sweet, spicy, and herby flavors of the shrimp excellently.
• Olive Oil

TOOLS NEEDED

• Grill – I say this all the time, but fire is an ingredient, especially in this recipe. These shrimp were tested both on and off a grill, and the difference in flavor was, for lack of a better word, insane. The char from the grill combined with the fiery spice of the peri-peri, the sweet honey, and finally the acidic lime juice brought everything together.
• Skewers – You have two options here: metal skewers or wooden skewers. Metal skewers work amazingly and eliminate the soaking step. However, I always opt for wooden skewers. Despite being less convenient due to the soaking requirement, they’re my preferred choice, mainly because I don’t have room for the metal ones.
  
  Which brings me to wooden skewers. These must be soaked in advance, and even then, don’t be surprised if they burn or shrivel up on the grill. However, they will still get the job done. Soak wooden skewers completely submerged in water for a minimum of 30 minutes before grilling for best results.

HOW TO MAKE GRILLED PERI PERI SHRIMP

Marinate the Shrimp – Prep and clean the shrimp accordingly. If you are starting from frozen, make sure to defrost them according to the packaging instructions in advance. Pat dry.

In a bowl, add the olive oil, peri-peri spice blend, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and a generous pinch of salt. Mix until it forms a paste. In a separate bowl, microwave the honey for a few seconds until it loosens. Add the shrimp to the bowl with the spice paste and toss to coat. Then, add the honey and toss again. Let the shrimp marinate for at least 15 minutes.

Why the extra step with the honey? If you add the viscous honey directly to the marinade mixture, you will end up with pockets of honey and areas without it. By heating it up slightly, it incorporates better into the marinade. Adding it to the shrimp separately ensures even distribution.

Skewer the Shrimp – If you are opting for wooden skewers, make sure they have been soaking for at least 30 minutes. When skewering the shrimp, alternate between the chunks of onion and the shrimp. Hot Tip!: separate the layers of onion, this way they cook during the time it takes the shrimp to cook. Stack 2-3 layers on onion between the shrimp. The shrimp should touch the onion, but the skewer should not be too tight overall.

Grill the Shrimp- Preheat the grill to 450-500°F. Place the shrimp directly on the clean grill. Depending on the size of the shrimp, cook them for 2-4 minutes on each side. If the shrimp do not turn easily, it might not be time to flip them yet (food becomes easier to flip when it’s done). If the shrimp have curled into a C shape, they are overcooked.

Top Them Off- Remove the finished shrimp from the grill. Top with lime juice and a generous amount of cilantro. Serve with rice, I recommend my Vermicelli Rice, or side of choice

STORING/REHEATING

While this is the first grilled shrimp dish I have put out (that will change this summer), this site has ALOT of other shrimp recipes. Check out the below! Especially if you love spicy shrimp.

Spicy Calabrian Shrimp
Chili Garlic Shrimp
Portuguese Shrimp (also uses the peri-peri blend)
Green Garlic Shrimp
Harissa Shrimp