When I first developed my jerk shrimp recipe, I legit made it all the time. It was that good. I think it’s because I put so much flavor into the marinade making sure it hits with the right amount of spice, zest and sweetness. I toss them into everything from pasta to tortillas like below. They are just insanely good y’all.
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How to Make Jerk Shrimp
Step 1: First up, heat some olive oil in a medium-sized pan over medium heat. Saute that onion until it’s tender then, in goes the cooked onion, lime juice, orange juice, brown sugar, honey, and all the spices (including a teaspoon of seasoning salt) into a blender or food processor. Hit ‘blend’ and combine.
Step 2: Pour the marinade into a large plastic bag, and let your deveined shrimp go in. Completely submerge the shrimp then seal and let them chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
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Step 3: Remove your shrimp from the marinade and thread 4 onto each skewer. Now, grill for about 2-3 minutes on each side. They cook fast so watch that they turn pink then remove and serve.
Jerk Shrimp Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ medium onion chopped
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt plus more for seasoning (I used Lawry's)
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 pound deveined shrimp
- Optional: Corn tortillas, pico de gallo, cilantro, limes and red cabbage for serving.
Instructions
- To make marinade, add olive oil to medium sized pan over medium heat. Saute onion until tender.
- Next add cooked onion, lime juice, orange juice, brown sugar, honey and all spices including 1 teaspoon of Lawry’s to a blender or food processor and grind until smooth.
- Pour marinade into a large plastic bag and add deveined shrimp completely submerging in the marinade. Seal and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes (no more than 30).
- Remove shrimp from marinade and add 4 to each skewer and grill about 2-3 minutes on each side. Shrimp cook very quickly so watch and turn as soon as they begin to turn pink then remove once done.
- Remove shrimp from skewers and add to tortillas. Serve with pico de gallo, cilantro, limes, and shredded red cabbage or other favorite taco favorites.
Notes
Storing and Reheating
Reheated shrimp isn’t the best but if you want to keep leftovers, here are some tips. Refrigerate cooked shrimp within two hours of cooking. If stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge, cooked shrimp will last for 3-4 days or freeze it in heavy-duty freezer bags for 2-3 months. I prefer to reheat leftover shrimp in a non-stick skillet or cast-iron pan. Place the pan over a medium-heat, lightly coat with cooking oil and allow it to heat up. Spread out the shrimp on the pan and stir occasionally for about 2-3 minutes. Don’t attempt to reheat cooked shrimp more than once since it will get super rubbery.Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- To Save Time: If you don’t have a pre-made large batch of this blend on hand, I’d suggest you change that. Try my homemade Jerk seasoning if you want this at home.
- Don’t Overcook: Perfectly cooked shrimp should be tender and juicy, not rubbery or dry. Depending on what kind of shrimp used, the flavor will be mild, earthy and even, slightly sweet.
- What Shrimp?: Be sure to use a deveined, peeled and tail-off shrimp for this recipe. Either a fresh or frozen variety will work!
- Serve it up right: Serve with fried plantains and Jamaican rice and peas for an authentic dinner!
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Fantastic Recipe!! Thank you.
Yummy!! These were fantastic. Thank you.
This jerk is *chefs kiss*