BBQ Shrimp with Homemade BBQ Sauce
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This easy seafood recipe delivers juicy shrimp marinated in a tangy, ketchup-based homemade BBQ sauce, for a ton of flavor from a handful of pantry staples. It’s a quick recipe that’s perfect for summer evenings and can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a group.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- Juicy shrimp and tangy BBQ sauce. What could be better? This recipe is SO easy to make and you can enjoy it in a variety of ways. Serve it on a baguette for a po-boy style sandwich. Fill lettuce cups or tortillas for BBQ shrimp tacos. Layer the shrimp on top of a giant salad or pair it with a hearty helping of noodles.
- I cooked these on the stovetop, but this is a great grill recipe for your summer cookouts. Use larger shrimp and thread them on skewers, then just toss them on the grill for 1 to 2 minutes per side. So easy, and you get those incredible smoky grill flavors! If you’re using shrimp that won’t fall through the grate, you can skip the skewers and put them right on the grill.
- You can easily double or triple the recipe to feed a large group! Just make sure you make plenty of sauce – trust me, you’ll be glad you did.
Chef’s Tips
- When you’re cooking shrimp, go by visual cues rather than the clock. When they’re perfectly cooked, they’ll be opaque and slightly curled, like a “J”. If they’re grey and translucent, they’re not ready yet. If they’re bright white and shaped like a tight “C” or an “O”, you overdid it.
- It’s totally possible to marinate shrimp too long, so watch the clock. You really only need to marinate them for 15 to 20 minutes, but definitely no longer than 3 hours. Beyond that, you risk the marinade breaking down the shrimp and making them mushy and rubbery.
- If you buy unpeeled shrimp, don’t throw away the tails! You can add them to your garden for a more nutrient-rich soil. Toss them in to your next seafood sauce or soup for more flavor. Use them for a homemade seafood stock.
More Delicious BBQ Recipes
- Keto BBQ Sauce
- BBQ Chicken Bowls with Sweet Potatoes and Coleslaw (Whole30)
- Crockpot BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
- Grilled Beef Ribs
- Whole30 BBQ Sauce With Chipotle (Paleo, Vegan)
- Vegan BBQ Sauce
BBQ Shrimp with Homemade BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
For the BBQ Sauce
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon lime juice juice from half of one lime
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
For the Shrimp
- 1 ½ pounds shrimp peeled, deveined
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Whisk
- plastic wrap or lid for bowl
- Large skillet
- Tongs
Instructions
- Add all ingredients for BBQ sauce to large bowl and whisk well to fully combine.
- Place shrimp in bowl and toss or gently stir to cover in BBQ sauce, then cover bowl and place in refrigerator. Let shrimp marinate in BBQ sauce 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, heat olive oil and butter in large skillet over medium heat. Once butter is melted, place marinated shrimp in skillet in one even layer, working in batches as needed to avoid overcrowding skillet.
- Cook shrimp 1 to 2 minutes, then flip and cook another 1 to 2 minutes, being careful not to overcook. Immediately remove cooked shrimp from skillet and repeat process until all shrimp have been cooked. Serve shrimp warm with crusty bread.
Notes
- Make it Keto: Use a keto ketchup and replace the maple syrup with a maple-flavored keto sweetener.
Nutrition Information
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Leave a Comment