How Long To Grill Shrimp (And Why)?

How Long To Grill Shrimp (And Why)?

Exact Answer: 3 – 5 Minutes

Grilling shrimp is one of the faster and easiest ways of cooking this tasty shellfish. They are perfectly seasoned and over the top delicious. It takes less than 5 minutes to cook them and they taste heavenly. Shrimp is a great healthy meal choice for those who like to eat seafood.

One can grill shrimps both with the shell on or with shells peeled. However, care must be taken to ensure that shrimps are not grilled too long, as cooking even a minute more than required can make them tough and dry.

How Long To Grill Shrimp

How Long To Grill Shrimp?

Easy grilled shrimp is full of flavor and simple to make either directly on the grill or on skewers. Marinating the shrimps is also not compulsory. Raw shrimp is shiny, translucent, and grey. Shrimp when perfectly cooked will no longer remain translucent and will curl up into a nice “C” shape.

The cooking time for the grilled shrimp recipe is extremely quick. It takes just about 3 – 5 minutes to grill shrimp, using medium-high direct heat i.e around 375 to 400 degrees F. The exact timing for grilling depends on the exact temperature, whether the shrimps are cooked with the shells on or without, and on the size of the shrimps.

Shrimp are best grilled on skewers, however, they can also be grilled without it. When cooking them directly on the grill, one has to be extremely careful not to let the little shrimps fall through the grates of the grill when one turns them.

It is imperative to watch the shrimps closely to ensure that they don’t overcook. As shrimp takes only about 2 – 3 minutes per side on the grill, one can easily tell when the shrimp are done. They turn pink and opaque when they are completely cooked through.

Grill Shrimp
StagesDuration
Preparation Time10 minutes
Grilling Time5 minutes
Total Cooking Time15 minutes

Why Does It Take So Long To Grill Shrimp?

The line between perfectly cooked and messed-up shrimp is really thin, which can make one feel that cooking grilled shrimp is intimidating. To make tender and juicy shrimps every time, all one needs is a couple of minutes to prepare the tastiest dish ever.

Shrimp cooks quite quickly, which is the reason why they are so undercooked. There is only a margin of 3 – 4 minutes to cook shrimps. One can grill shrimp on a lower heat for a comparatively longer duration, but for best results, one should grill them for a few minutes on high heat. Grilling on high heat gives them the best texture, juicy and tender flavor, without any stringy chewiness.

Delicious and tasty grilled shrimps can be prepared in a jiffy when one follows the steps accurately. One should start by preheating a grill to medium-high heat. Thawing the shrimp is necessary if they were frozen. After that, place the shrimp in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and other spices. It is important to mix up all the spices thoroughly to ensure that they combine well with the shrimps.

Grill Shrimp

Lastly, the shrimps are to be grilled for 1 – 2 minutes per side or until they appear bright pink and cooked through. Remove the shrimps from the grill and spritz with fresh lemon juice. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

Conclusion

Shrimp is one of the most commonly consumed types of shellfish. It provides the consumer with a high amount of certain nutrients, such as iodine, that are not abundant in many other foods. It is quite low in calories yet rich in nutrients. On the other hand, some people claim that shrimp is unhealthy due to its high cholesterol content.

Cooking time for shrimps strictly depends on the size of the shrimp and the temperature at which they are grilled. A decent-sized shrimp takes only about 2 – 3 minutes per side. Shrimps cook very quickly so one must watch it closely. If overcooked, they become rubbery and unpleasant to eat. As shrimps take only about a couple of minutes to get cooked, they are a perfect delicacy to enjoy on a busy night.

References

  1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814620312516
  2. https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/bitstream/handle/10919/48961/CV-31_pdf.pdf
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