The Best Way To Grill Shrimp For The Juciest Results

Grilled shrimp is a classic for a reason. It's quick, flavorful, protein-packed, and when done right, totally delicious. The ideal grilled shrimp is perfectly juicy and gently charred, but these tasty crustaceans can all too easily end up overdone and dry if you're not paying attention. However, please don't let that scare you off. Although grilling can seem intimidating, it's one of the easiest methods of cooking to master. Christie Vanover, head cook for Team Girls Can Grill, the Grand Champion of Season 4 of Food Network's "BBQ Brawl," assures us that grilling tender and flavorful shrimp is easy-peasy lemon-squeezy with a few simple techniques. The award-winning competitive pitmaster shared a few of her favorite foolproof tips for grilling in an exclusive interview with The Takeout.

"The best way to keep shrimp extra juicy when you grill it is to grill it in its peels," Vanover claims. "The shell acts as a barrier to protect the meat and it adds great flavor." Vanover suggests using deveined shrimp simply seasoned with oil (olive, avocado, or sesame works great), salt, and pepper. While shrimp veins are perfectly safe to eat, the taste and texture can be off-putting for many diners. Shell-on, deveined shrimp is readily available at most grocery stores. You can also devein your own shrimp with a handy shrimp deveiner like this Good Grips Shrimp Deveiner from OXO. If you're using frozen shrimp, be sure to thaw it overnight in the fridge for the best results.

Keeping the shell on while grilling is the key to maximum juiciness, according to Christie Vanover, but there's more to a great grilled shrimp than just moisture. For evenly cooked and beautifully charred crustaceans, she suggests placing the shrimp on a flat surface and running skewers horizontally through the tail and back curve. "This provides the most surface area for a great char," Vanover said. Flat metal skewers like these Stainless Steel Kabob Skewers from JY Cookment are ideal for ensuring your shrimp stay put on the grill. And don't worry if your crustaceans are a little crowded on the skewer -– Vanover assured us that it's totally okay if the shrimp touch one another during the grilling process. 

Now that your shrimp are perfectly seasoned and evenly skewered, you're ready to get grilling. Vanover suggests grilling the shrimp on high heat for about three to four minutes on each side. Once the crustaceans are cooked through and lightly charred, simply take them off the grill and remove the peels. That's all there is to it. With these expert-approved tips in mind, you'll be grilling up juicy and flavor-packed shrimp like a pro in no time.