Grilled Tequila Shrimp Skewers on the Weber Traveler
I love shrimp just about as much as I love my Weber Traveler grill so combining the two was inevitable. Last night I used the Traveler to grill up some pretty incredible Tequila Shrimp Skewers and it turned out to be one heck of a feast!
Let me walk you through this easy recipe.
The Tequila shrimp Marinade
I wanted some bold flavors to go with this grilled shrimp so I broke out the good stuff!
Marinade Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 ounces Jose Cuervo tequila
- 1 cup minced fresh cilantro
- 1 tbls lemon zest
- 1 tsp Morton Seasoned Salt
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/4 tsp chipotle powder
Why Use Tequila?
The obvious reason to use tequila in the marinade is for the unique flavor that it brings to the party.
The not so obvious, but just as important reason, is that the alcohol in the tequila helps extract the aromatic flavors from the other marinade ingredients to aid their transport into the shrimp.
Alcohol has the ability to dissolve oils and infuse them into foods. It is a nice trick!
Marinate the Shrimp
I like to use extra large shrimp when I grill.  I look for shrimp in the 16-20 count size. The 16-20 means that is about how many shrimp of this size it takes to weigh a pound.
I take the shell off the shrimp before they hit the marinade.
I know a lot of recipes will tell you to leave the shell on because it “locks in the flavor” but I honestly think that is just people being lazy. I mean, someone is going to have to take the shells off eventually. I would rather it be me than one of my dinner guests.
Add the shrimp to the marinade and let them soak for an hour in the refrigerator. There is no acid in this marinade so you can marinate the shrimp overnight if desired.
Grill the Shrimp
Take the shrimp out of the marinade and stick them on bamboo skewers (5-6 shrimp per skewer). I like to use skewers because:
- It keeps the shrimp organized when it is time to flip.
- They help determine a controlled portion size
- They look cool on the grill.
I let the Weber Traveler preheat for 15 minutes and it got scorching hot. You want your grill to be at a minimum of 500F.
I put the skewers onto the grill and had fun watching the dripping olive oil cause a little flareup!
The smell of the marinated shrimp being seared was amazing.
I put some sliced squash on the opposite side of the grill to take advantage of all the space that the Traveler offers.
Close the lid and let the shrimp grill for three minutes.
Open up the grill, flip the shrimp and veggies and grill another two minutes.
You want the shrimp to reach an internal temperature of 145F.
By the time these shrimp were done they had a wonderful char but were still tender and juicy.
It was hard to not eat these right off the grill!
I served the shrimp skewers with the grilled squash and a side of creamy broccoli slaw for a dinner that was packed with flavor but still surprisingly healthy.
Give this recipe for Grilled Tequila Shrimp Skewers a try sometime!
Grilled Tequila Shrimp Skewers
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Jumbo Shrimp
- 1 cup diced fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 ounces tequila
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest
- 1 tsp Morton Seasoned Salt
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/4 tsp chipotle powder
Instructions
- Combine the marinade ingredients in a large bowl.
- Peel and devein the shrimp
- Add the shrimp to the marinade and refrigerate for one hour
- Heat a grill to High Heat (500F)
- Place the shrimps onto bamboo skewers, 5-6 shrimp per skewer.
- Place the skewers onto the grill and cook for 3 minutes per side until an internal temperature of 145F is reached.
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