How to Grill Jumbo Shrimp

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Not many people out there can say they dislike shrimp. One of the few near-universal loves of foodies across the globe, shrimp, prawns, and other shellfish of their nature are a tasty treat loaded with possibilities in how they can be cooked.

Fresh shrimp can be used in tons of different dishes, many of them also extremely easy to make. For our purposes today, we’ll be focusing on grilling them alongside a delicious chimichurri sauce, making for a zesty and spicy BBQ masterpiece.

Grilled shrimp skewers on white plate with a bowl of chimichurri sauce.

Let’s cover how to grill jumbo shrimp and get started.

Table of Contents

Step #1. Prepare Ingredients

Fresh shrimp on skewers, garlic, crushed red pepper and vinegar/oil in the background.

For the Chimichurri Sauce:

½ cup parsley
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. dried oregano
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Shrimp:

1 lb. raw jumbo shrimp, cleaned and peeled
Salt and pepper

Step #2. Make the Chimichurri Sauce

Parsley and garlic transferring from cutting board to a blender jar.

Combine all of the chimichurri ingredients (except the crushed red pepper) in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add the crushed red pepper (this way you’ll be adding texture). Season with salt and pepper. Reserve.

Red wine vinegar pouring into blender jar.

A measuring spoon of olive oil pouring into blender jar with parsley.

Crushed red pepper getting added to chimichurri.

Step #3. Skewer the Jumbo Shrimp

Woman's hand sprinkling salt on shrimp skewers.

Place the jumbo shrimp onto skewers and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Woman's hand grinding pepper onto shrimp skewers.

Step #4. Grill the Jumbo Shrimp

Woman's hand adding shrimp skewers to bbq grill.

Preheat barbecue to medium-high heat. Grill the shrimp until they change color to bright pink (around 8 minutes on each side).

Woman's hand turning shrimp skewers on outdoor grill.

Step #5. Serve with Chimichurri Sauce

Grilled shrimp are a marvel of the food world, possessing a smoky aroma and marvelously crispy exterior. With this guide, you have everything you need to make just that, pairing perfectly with the included herbaceous chimichurri sauce recipe.

This is only just the beginning, though. There’s plenty you can do to make this grilled shrimp recipe even more amazing. You could try a full spice rub for your shrimp or a marinade. You might even try grilling them in the shell to see how that affects flavor and texture. The possibilities are endless.

If you’re wondering what to serve with grilled shrimp, you’ve got similarly diverse options. In addition to the chimichurri, you could try some grilled pineapple and rice. Maybe a nice cocktail sauce if you’d prefer.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with any part of this recipe as shrimp are one of the most adaptable foods you can cook, lending themselves well to all kinds of variation.

What’s your favorite way to eat shrimp? Grilled, boiled, battered, or fried, they’re all quite delicious. At the end of the day, it’s hard to go wrong, especially with such a good recipe to serve as your base.