Savor your Memorial Day Weekend with these succulent shrimp skewers. This recipe comes to us from Jess Larson, creator of Plays Well With Butter who describes herself as “head-over-heels in love with food”. Hailing from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Jess is passionate about creating simple, elegant recipes that are just as easy to make as they are to eat. Using the Solo Stove Grill, Jess combines the tastes of naturally sweet and tender shrimp with the punchy spice of a jalapeño pepper to serve up your new favorite summer dish. Visit the Plays Well With Butter blog to read more about Jess, and to see nutrition facts and further information about this recipe. Let’s get grilling!
Description
Beautiful jumbo shrimp seasoned with a zesty garlic & lime marinade, skewered & grilled until perfectly charred, & finished with bright & spicy jalapeño pesto sauce. Grilled shrimp skewers are the ultimate quick & easy summer meal – enjoy them on their own, tossed in pasta, piled on tacos or salad, or make them for the perfect summer appetizer for your next backyard BBQ!
Ingredients
for the zesty shrimp skewers:
- 1 1/2 pounds jumbo shrimp (U/16-25), peeled & deveined
- 1 large, juicy lime, zested & juiced
- 1 large, juicy lemon, juiced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon honey or agave
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- up to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
- 6–8 stainless steel or bamboo skewers (soaked in water at least 20 minutes prior to assembly)
for the jalapeño pesto:
- 1 cup cilantro leaves & tender stems (roughly 2 ounces)
- 1/3 cup shelled pistachios
- 1 jalapeno, deseeded as desired & roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 lime, zested & juiced
- 1 lemon, zested & juiced
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
- Preheat the grill: Prepare your grill for medium-high direct heat grilling, 550-600 degrees F. If using a Solo Stove Grill, empty one All-Natural Charcoal Grill Pack over top the charcoal grate. Arrange the charcoal in a pile, distributing 4-6 Solo Stove Starters into the base of the pile. Light the starters & set the cooking grate on the grill. The grill will be hot in 15-20 minutes, when the charcoal appears ashy & you can’t hold your hand over the grate for more than a couple of seconds. Meanwhile, as the grill preheats, prep the shrimp & pesto.
- Marinate the shrimp: Meanwhile, as the grill preheats, marinate the shrimp. Add the shrimp to a large mixing bowl with the lime zest & juice, lemon juice, garlic, avocado oil, honey or agave, ground cumin, & cayenne pepper (if using). Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Toss to combine. Set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes or cover & set in the refrigerator to marinate for no more than 1 hour.
- Make the jalapeño pesto: Meanwhile, as the shrimp marinate, prep the jalapeño pesto. Place all listed ingredients except olive oil in a food processor. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Pulse to combine. Scrape down the sides of the food processor as needed. With the processor running, slowly stream in the olive oil. Set aside, or transfer to an airtight container & store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Prep the shrimp skewers: Just before grilling, thread the marinated shrimp on skewers. It is helpful to skewer each piece of shrimp in two places, once near the head & once near the tail.
- Grill the shrimp skewers: Transfer the shrimp skewers to the grill. Grill over direct heat for 2-3 minutes per side, just until the shrimp is pink in hue & no longer translucent.
- Serve the shrimp skewers immediately, with a generous spoonful of jalapeño pesto. You can enjoy them on their own, pile them on tortillas or a rice bowl with all your favorite taco night fixings, toss them into jalapeño pesto pasta, & more. Have fun with it & enjoy!
