Last updated: April 8, 2026
Six Minutes to Seafood Perfection
Grilled shrimp is the fastest path to BBQ greatness. While your friends are tending 12-hour briskets, you can have a platter of perfectly charred, garlic-butter-drenched shrimp skewers on the table in the time it takes to open a cold beer. This is the ultimate weeknight grilling recipe and the best appetizer you will ever serve at a cookout.
Choosing Your Shrimp
Size matters here. You want jumbo or colossal shrimp -- 16/20 count (that means 16 to 20 shrimp per pound). Smaller shrimp overcook on the grill before they pick up any char. Shell-on or shell-off is a personal choice: shells protect the meat and add flavor, but shell-off lets the garlic butter penetrate directly and makes eating easier. I go shell-off for skewers.
The Garlic Butter
The garlic butter is dead simple but it makes or breaks this dish. Melt good unsalted butter with a generous amount of fresh minced garlic, a squeeze of lemon, red pepper flakes for heat, and a handful of chopped parsley. The key is using fresh garlic -- jarred garlic will not give you the same punch. And make more than you think you need, because you will want extra for dipping.
Skewer Strategy
Thread each shrimp through both the head and tail ends so they lay flat -- this ensures even contact with the grill grate and prevents spinning when you flip. Use two parallel skewers for each set of shrimp to make flipping easy. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning.
The Grill
Maximum heat, minimum time. You want the grill grate screaming hot -- clean it and oil it right before the shrimp go on. The shrimp need only 2-3 minutes per side. You are looking for pink, opaque flesh with a few charred spots on the edges. The moment they curl into a C shape, they are done. If they curl into an O, they are overcooked.
Pro Tips
- The C-shape test: shrimp are done when they curl into a C, overcooked when they form an O
- Baste with garlic butter both before and immediately after grilling
- A squeeze of fresh lemon right off the grill brightens everything
- Serve with crusty bread to soak up the garlic butter -- do not waste a drop
- Double-skewer technique prevents shrimp from spinning during flipping
Garlic Butter Grilled Shrimp Skewers
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https://bbq-experience.com/en/recipes/grilled-shrimp-skewers-garlic-butter
Ingredients
- 2 lbs (900g) Jumbo shrimp (16/20 count), peeled and deveined
- 6 tbsp (85g) Unsalted butter
- 6 cloves Garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice
- 0.5 tsp Red pepper flakes
- 3 tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 0.5 tsp Black pepper
- 2 lemons Lemon wedges for serving
- 8 skewers Skewers (metal or soaked wooden)
Instructions
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Pat the shrimp completely dry with paper towels -- moisture prevents charring. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Thread onto double skewers, piercing each shrimp through both the head and tail ends so they lay flat.
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Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and half the chopped parsley. Set aside half for serving.
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Preheat your grill to maximum heat. Clean and oil the grate thoroughly. Brush the shrimp skewers generously with the garlic butter on both sides.
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Place the skewers directly over the hottest part of the grill. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side without moving them. The shrimp are done when they are pink and opaque with light char marks, curled into a C shape. Do not overcook.
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Remove to a platter immediately. Drizzle with the reserved garlic butter, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top, and garnish with the remaining parsley. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and crusty bread for soaking up the butter.
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