How To Prep Shrimp For The Grill For The Maximum Possible Flavor

Grilled shrimp may seem like one of the quickest low-effort ways to prepare a delicious dinner, but shrimp and a hot grill are a tricky combination. Overcooked and dry shrimp quickly turns your crisp crustacean into a mealy, stringy mess. This is easy enough to mess up on a stove, but with a grill (especially a charcoal one), the temperature management makes ruining your shrimp an even bigger risk. With that in mind, Tasting Table asked Ed Cotton, a chef and partner at Jack & Charlie's and Leonetta in New York City, how he would prep shrimp for the grill to deliver the best texture and maximum flavor.

"For this I would lightly brine, peel and devein the shrimp and place them in a flavorful brine," Cotton recommends. "This will help retain moisture while grilling them." Cotton's suggestion is one you might think of for meat rather than seafood, but it just makes sense. Shrimp can be either wet brined or dry brined, but both happen quickly. For a pound of shrimp, you can wet brine them in one quart of water with one tablespoon of salt for 30 minutes, or you can dry brine them with one teaspoon of salt and a quarter teaspoon of baking soda, which helps protect the shrimp's crunch, for 15 minutes. Then once the shrimp are brined, Cotton says, "Skewer the shrimp and frequently brush them while they are on the grill cooking with an oil and herb solution."

Even with this prep, shrimp are vulnerable to drying out. If you want the best textures, pay attention to your cooking time. "Shrimp are fast cookers," Ed Cotton warns. "They can cook in up to two to three minutes on a high temp grill (400 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit)." After they are ready to go, the chef recommends letting the shrimp rest a bit before drizzling with lemon.

Concerning the on or off shrimp tail debate, Cotton notes that, "This is a personal preference thing in my opinion. But keeping the shell on the tail area is a nice addition or touch." Of course, this isn't just about giving yourself a shrimp handle; it adds to the anticipation. "After the grilled shrimp comes off the grill and is put down in front of the guest, that aroma from the charred tail shell really awakens that sense of smell and makes the shrimp that much more interesting," Cotton adds.

If you really want to go the extra mile, the chef suggests that you stop throwing away shrimp shells. "After peeling and preparing the shrimp for the grill, I like to take the shells and infuse them into an oil/butter while slowly cooking them in it," Cotton reveals. "Add herbs to the oil to help enhance and heighten the flavor." What is this concoction for? Cotton explains that you can "brush this shrimp oil or butter over the shrimp while cooking them for maximum flavor enhancement." What could be more flavorful than shrimp brushed with shrimp?