Grilled Garlic Butter Shrimp
On January 30, 2024 (Updated December 05, 2024)
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This Grilled Garlic Butter Shrimp is a crustacean lovers’ delight. Perfectly grilled shrimp which are then tossed in a zesty garlic and lemon-laden butter sauce. It’s simple enough to add to your weekly meal plan, but fancy enough to feel like you ordered it from an upscale restaurant.
Grilled Garlic Butter Shrimp
There’s so much to love about this grilled garlic butter shrimp. It’s not only delicious, it’s also super versatile. You can serve it as an appetizer right out of the skillet, or even as an entree spooned over pasta. Oh, and then you can sop the leftover sauce up with some crusty bread.
This is a recipe that’s as simple as it is delicious and you’ll find yourself coming back to it over and over again. It’s also kid-friendly, with a light and fresh flavor that the entire family can enjoy.
The Best Shrimp for Grilling
The size of shrimp you want to get really depends on how you’ll be preparing it. For this recipe, I like to use large shrimp, usually labeled as “jumbo” shrimp. Because of the large size, I can cook them directly on the grill grates without having to worry about skewering them or using a grill basket. These bigger shrimp are easier to handle and flip without losing them through the grill grates.
Ingredients for Garlic Butter for Shrimp
This recipe is not only delicious, it’s also super simple to make, and uses just a handful of ingredients you likely already have in your pantry. Here’s everything you’ll need to make this awesome recipe.
For the shrimp:
- 2 pounds 21/25 shrimp
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For the garlic butter sauce:
- 8 Tablespoons butter
- 8 cloves minced garlic
- 2 Tablespoons flat-leaf Italian parsley
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
How Long to Grill Shrimp
No matter what size shrimp you’re working with, one of the most common mistakes you can make is overcooking the shrimp. Even the largest shrimp only take a few minutes to cook through on your grill, so you’ll want to stay close. You want to pull your shrimp when they make the shape of a “c”, than a “g” or an “o”. You can also use a thermometer, like my Thermapen ONE, when working with larger shrimp. With shrimp, you’re looking for an internal temperature reading of 145 degrees F.
Should you leave the tails on grilled shrimp?
For me, leaving the tail on shrimp really depends on how I’m going to be eating it. I like to grill them with the tails intact, and then remove them depending on use. If you want to serve this shrimp right out of the skillet as a standalone entree or appetizer, you can totally leave them on. Some people actually enjoy have the tail to hold while they eat these big shrimp. If you’re adding them to your favorite pasta or something else as an ingredient, go ahead and remove the tails before adding them.
How to Make Grilled Garlic Butter Shrimp
Let’s quickly go through the process of making this meal. It’s ridiculously easy and ready in a flash. Here’s how to make grilled garlic butter shrimp.
- Preheat and season. Fire up the grill to 450-500 degrees F. While the grill is heating up, toss the shrimp in a bowl with olive oil and then season with salt and pepper.
- Melt butter and add shrimp. Place a 12-inch cast iron skillet on the preheated grill. Add butter to the skillet and allow to melt and cook for 2-3 minutes. Place the shrimp directly on the grill grates while the butter melts.
- Continue cooking. Add garlic to the melted butter in the skillet and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Flip the shrimp and cook until they form a loose “C” shape, are opaque throughout, and reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
- Butter up! Add the grilled shrimp to the garlic and butter in the skillet then remove the skillet from the grill. Add the remaining ingredients and season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
More Grilled Shrimp Recipes
Ready for more grilled shrimp recipes that’ll satisfy all those seafood cravings? Hey Grill Hey is here to ensure you always have a tasty shrimp recipe in your back pocket. Check out our favorites below and then try making them yourself.
- Blackened Grilled Shrimp Skewers
- Grilled Shrimp with a Chili Lime Rub
- Grilled Shrimp Caesar Salad
- Grilled Shrimp Jambalaya
- Cajun Grilled Shrimp
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Grilled Garlic Butter Shrimp
Ingredients
- 2 pounds 21-25 (jumbo) shrimp 21/25
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Garlic Butter Sauce
- 8 Tablespoons butter cut into 1 Tablespoon pads
- 8 cloves garlic grated or finely minced
- 2 Tablespoons Italian flat leaf parsley chopped
- 1 lemon zest and juice
Instructions
- Preheat. Preheat grill to High (450-500 degrees F).
- Season. Toss shrimp with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.2 pounds 21-25 (jumbo) shrimp, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Melt the butter and grill the shrimp. Place a 12-inch cast iron skillet on your hot grill. Add the butter to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes. While the butter melts, place the shrimp directly on the grill grates.8 Tablespoons butter
- Finish cooking shrimp. Once your butter is bubbling, add your garlic and cook for 2-3 more minutes. While the garlic cooks, flip the shrimp. Cook until the shrimp are a "C" shape, opaque throughout, and read an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.8 cloves garlic
- Add garlic butter. Add the grilled shrimp to the garlic butter skillet and remove from the heat. Stir in the fresh Italian parsley, lemon zest, and juice. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.2 Tablespoons Italian flat leaf parsley, 1 lemon
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
**This post was originally published in April 2023. We recently updated it with more information and helpful tips, but the recipe remains the same.
