Grilled Peel and Eat Shrimp
Grilled Peel and Eat Shrimp are easy to make and fun to eat! This tasty shrimp appetizer is an excellent option for summer grilling!
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Every summer, we took a family vacation down to Folly Beach, SC. I grew up in Charleston, so the chance to return to my childhood stomping grounds was amazing. However, the best part was seeing Robbie (our then 5-year-old son) see the beach for the first time. He spent the better part of an entire week playing in the tide pools and jumping waves. (We also hunted for shark’s teeth together, and we came away with 300+ teeth – but that’s a story for another time!)
Every evening, we wandered into “downtown” Folly Beach for dinner. I put “downtown” in quotes purely because the main section of town consists of about 2 blocks. It’s small, but it’s got a funky and charming vibe. Oh, and there’s some really fantastic seafood restaurants there, too!
Grilled Peel and Eat Shrimp
Each evening, we’d typically start things off with an appetizer of peel and eat shrimp. There is nothing fancy about peel and eat shrimp. Think brown paper on picnic tables. Think hole-in-the-wall seafood shacks. But that doesn’t take anything away from the deliciousness of these shrimp!
After that trip to Charleston, we decided to start making peel and eat shrimp at home more often. They’re easy and delicious! Typically we just steam the shrimp, but now that summer has returned, I decided to try sticking those shrimp on skewers and tossing ’em onto the grill. Woah! New summer favorite recipe right here!
For these Grilled Peel and Eat Shrimp, I used the exact same recipe as when I steam the shrimp. Just toss raw shrimp in a mixture of olive oil, Old Bay seasoning, garlic and lemon juice. Nice and easy – but packed with flavor. Then fire up the grill. One of the best things about these Grilled Peel and Eat Shrimp (aside from the flavor, of course) is how quickly they cook. A couple minutes tops, and you’re ready to gather around the table and dig in!
Peel and Eat Shrimp can be served hot or cold. I think I prefer them hot, but chilling any leftovers and serving them cold (especially with a beer or a glass of wine) comes in close second!
We like to serve these shrimp with cocktail sauce, and I whipped up an easy homemade cocktail sauce for these Grilled Peel and Eat Shrimp. No need for a bottle of the store-bought sauce…this easy sauce is quite tasty! The base it catsup (ketchup), but it’s amped up with a bit of horseradish, Worcestershire, garlic and lemon juice. Add a few dashes of hot sauce until it’s spicy enough for your taste. That’s it.
Tip: If you think about it, make the cocktail sauce earlier in the day or the day before. Like any sauce, the individual flavors come together after resting for a bit. This sauce is tasty when you first make it. It’s amazing after it rests in the fridge for ~8 hours!
I hope you enjoy these Grilled Peel and Eat Shrimp as much as we do. This is an easy recipe that’s always a crowd pleaser! Cheers!
Did you make a batch of this Grilled Peel and Eat Shrimp at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Grilled Peel and Eat Shrimp
Ingredients
For the Grilled Peel and Eat Shrimp
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 Tbsp Old Bay Seasoning
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2 pounds large shell-on shrimp, backs sliced open and cleaned
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- wooden skewers for grilling (see note)
- lemon wedges for serving
- hot sauce for serving
For the Cocktail Sauce
- ½ cup catsup
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp prepared horseradish
- ½ tsp minced garlic
- 3-4 dashes hot sauce
Instructions
For the Grilled Peel and Eat Shrimp
- Using a large bowl, add olive oil, Old Bay Seasoning and lemon juice; stir until well combined.
- Add shrimp and minced garlic; toss until shrimp are well coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat (~375°F).
- Remove shrimp from marinade and thread onto skewers.
- Place skewers on grill ~1” apart. Grill for 3 minutes, slip and continue grilling for 3 more minutes, or until shrimp are cooked through (i.e. pink in color).
- Remove shrimp from skewers and place on a serving platter.
- Serve immediately with lemon wedges, hot sauce and cocktail sauce.
For the Cocktail Sauce
- Using a small bowl, whisk all cocktail sauce ingredients together until well combined.
- Cover and refrigerate until needed. (Tip: This cocktail sauce will taste better if allowed to rest overnight.)
Notes
Looking for more tasty shrimp recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
cant wait to make this soon for me for the shrimp and sauce can i use mushrooms and coconut aminos cant wait to try this in my air fryer i never had grilled peel and eat shrimp before perfect for my after office meals love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
I think you could totally use the same spice mix on mushrooms and grill ’em up on skewers. In fact, that sounds quite tasty! Let me know how it turns out!
Those are the best kinda memories! And I just love recipes like this! They’re so perfect for summer, so casual and just the best! I’d love a bunch of these shrimp right about now with extra cocktail sauce and tons of lemon wedges. They look delicious, David!
You said it, Dawn! I love casual recipes like this for summer…well, for all year long, but summer is the best! 🙂 Thanks so much!
Nice. And boy do I love shrimp. Especially grilled. And they’re fun to eat like this. However, I do dislike it when shrimp with shells on are served at catered buffets. I, personally, do not want to spend the evening with shrimp fingers!
You know, I totally get that, Mimi – if I’m going to a fancy, catered event, I don’t want to be peeling shrimp either! But a casual get-together at the beach or in the backyard? I’m ok with it!
Although I love some complex and sophisticated flavour combinations, I’ve been more and more into simplicity lately. Maybe I’m getting old? But some simple aromatics like garlic, lemon, olive oil, and salt are enough for a phenomenal dish – just like these ultra appetizing shrimp skewers! Also, have you tried a sauce with alcohol? I don’t know it’s name, but it’s a simple combo of mayo, ketchup, salt/pepper, and a splash of cognac or similar liquor. I’m thinking it would be a lovely dipping sauce for grilled food, too.
You know, there is just something to be said for the simple, classic flavors. There’s a reason why lemon + seasoning go well together with shrimp! Interesting idea on that cognac in the sauce – I think it could work! I’ll have to try that…whenever we unpack the bottle of cognac. Haha!
What a cute story about Robbie seeing the beach for the first time! Those shrimp look mighty delicious! I really have to experience a Cajun boil one of these days… 😉
Thanks so much, Michelle! It’s fun how food and recipes are associated with memories – and this peel and eat shrimp is absolutely associated with the beach! This really is an easy and delicious summer meal!
i love prawns (shrimp) but hubby sadly doesn’t. so i only have it out or at Christmas. this dish sounds great david!
Ah – maybe save this idea for when you can celebrate at Christmas? After all, your Christmas’ are warm down there, so grilling out would be perfectly appropriate! 🙂
I love the taste of grilled shrimp. I’m with Mimi about not wanting to peel them at a restaurant but as you say, at a backyard summer gathering they would be a big hit.
I hear ya, Karen – peel and eat shrimp are a great “activity” for hanging out with friends on a summer evening!!
OMG this looks fab! It will be perfect with an ice cold beer, can imagine my self chillin at the deck with a pint on one hand and some of those grilled shrimps on the other. Nice recipe.
Thanks so much, Raymund! You basically just described our summer vacations at the beach. 🙂
These look delicious! Nothing like getting messy when eating your food! It just makes the eating that much better!
Haha – that’s what summer is all about, right? 🙂 Thanks, Kathy!