Shrimp, shrimp, shrimp! These poor little things should not be overpowered with marinades and flavorings. Enhancing the shrimp is ok but what you really want to taste is the actual meaty shrimp not oil or harsh seasonings.

Well, I think it’s pretty fair to say that we all have noticed the meat shortage on our store shelves lately. It’s all over the news and it’s probably also fair to say that this will last for quite some time.

Listen, eating less meat isn’t the worst thing for us. Many of us get more than our fair share of protein. So we have to find ways to either eat less meat, use less OF it (example stir fry) or incorporate some more fish into our diets.

That’s not such a bad thing, right?

So here is a very simple grilled shrimp recipe. There is really nothing fancy when it comes down to it. What makes your meal is the method – in this case we are grilling our shrimp. Grilling gives it tons of flavor. Make sure that grill is ROCKET SHIP hot. Get it hot and keep it hot.

Also, there is a burning question about whether the grill should be open or closed. Think of it this way, keeping it open gives a direct heat. Closing the lid is kind of like baking, the heat will go in circles.

We want the grill OPEN and on HIGH.

Also, I see a lot of people making a very simple mistake when it comes to marinades and protein. If you are using an acid in your marinade it will ‘cook’ the protein. By cook I mean it will make it tough, so I recommend 30 minutes when using anything acidic in your marinade.

Acids are things like fruit juices (lemon, lime, apple, pineapple) along with any vinegars or tomato based products.

You can serve this alongside some lemon orzo and a green veggie or while the shrimp are cooking on the grill you can grill up some roasted red peppers alongside and top them on bed of mixed greens.

DON’T throw away those shrimp shells. Each time you make some shrimp, save the shells and put them in a large Ziploc bag and freeze them. When the bag is full take those shells, along with some roughly cut up carrots, celery leaves and stalks, a bay leaf and SIMMER them to make the most flavorful shrimp stock. You can use this as a broth for crab bisque or to use in place of water to make shrimp cocktail.

MORE SHRIMP RECIPES:

Easy Grilled Shrimp Recipe

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Ingredients

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1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
¼ cup lemon juice
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste

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Instructions

In a large bowl whisk together lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
Add shrimp to marinade, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Preheat a grill to high heat.
Skewer shrimp and cook for at least 1 ½ to 2 minutes on each side or just until the shrimp turn a nice pink color and begin to get char marks.
Garnish with grilled lemon wedges and chopped parsley if you like.