Charcoal-Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Serves 4 as a main course, 6 as an appetizer. From Cooks Illustrated. Published July 1, 2006.

The shrimp and sauce (see related recipes) finish cooking together on the grill, so prepare the sauce ingredients while the coals are heating, then carry them out to the grill with you. To fit all of the shrimp on the cooking grate at once, you’ll need three 14-inch metal skewers. (Wooden skewers will likely burn.) Serve with grilled crusty bread brushed with olive oil as an appetizer; add rice salad or couscous for a main course.


Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds extra-large shrimp (21/25), peeled and deveined, tails left on
2 - 3 tablespoons olive oil for brushing skewers
Table salt and ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 recipe Spicy Lemon-Garlic Sauce or Charmoula Sauce
Lemon wedges for serving


Instructions

1. Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Thread shrimp onto 3 skewers, alternating direction of heads and tails. Brush both sides of shrimp with oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle one side of each skewer with sugar.

2. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal (6 quarts, or about 100 briquettes) and allow to burn until coals are fully ignited and partially covered with thin layer of ash, about 20 minutes. Empty coals into grill; build modified two-level fire by arranging coals to cover one-half of grill, piling them about 3 briquettes high, leaving other half empty. Position cooking grate over coals, cover grill, and heat until hot, about 5 minutes; scrape grate clean with grill brush.

3. Set disposable aluminum pie plate with sauce ingredients over hot side of grill and cook, stirring occasionally, until hot, about 1 1/2 minutes; transfer plate to cooler side of grill. Place shrimp skewers, sugared sides down, on hot side of grate; use tongs to push shrimp together on skewer if they have separated. Grill shrimp, uncovered, until lightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Using tongs, flip and grill until second side is pink and slightly translucent, 1 to 2 minutes longer.

4. Using potholder or oven mitt, carefully lift each skewer from grill; use tongs to slide shrimp off skewers into pie plate with sauce. Toss shrimp and sauce to combine and transfer pie plate to hot side of grill; cook, stirring, until shrimp are opaque and fully cooked, about 30 seconds. Remove from grill, add remaining sauce ingredients and toss to combine. Transfer to serving platter and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

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Spicy Lemon-Garlic Sauce for Shrimp Skewers

Makes enough to sauce 1 1/2 pounds shrimp.

Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 4 pieces
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice , from 2 lemons
1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1/8 teaspoon table salt
Disposable 10-inch aluminum pie plate
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves


Instructions
Combine butter, lemon juice, pepper flakes, garlic, and salt in pan. Cook over hot side of grill, stirring occasionally, until butter melts, about 1 1/2 minutes; transfer to cooler side of grill and proceed to grill shrimp, adding parsley just before serving.

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Charmoula Sauce for Shrimp Skewers

Ingredients
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small red bell pepper , stemmed, seeded, and diced very small (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 small red onion , minced (about 1/3 cup)
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1/8 teaspoon table salt
Disposable 10-inch aluminum pie plate
1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon

Instructions
Combine oil, bell pepper, onion, paprika, cumin, cayenne, garlic, and salt in pan. Cook over hot side of grill, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes (2 or 3 minutes longer if using gas grill); transfer to cooler side of grill and proceed to grill shrimp, adding cilantro and lemon juice just before serving.