New Orleans–Style Barbecue Shrimp

While most places prepare their New Orleans–style barbecue shrimp in a cast-iron skillet, I like the smoky flavor that a grill adds to this rendition.

2 pounds large shrimp, deveined and in the shell

1/4 cup Creole seasoning

3 tablespoons olive oil

8 tablespoons (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

Vegetable oil, for the grates

Crusty French bread (optional)

In a large nonreactive bowl, toss the shrimp with the Creole seasoning and the olive oil. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.

In a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the garlic and sauté until just fragrant; do not brown. Add the Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and pepper. Add the white wine and stir to deglaze the sauté pan. Cook until the sauce is reduced by half.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the remaining butter 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until completely incorporated after each addition and cooking until the sauce is thickened enough to coat a spoon. Keep warm over low heat.

Preheat a clean grill with a grill basket or screen to medium with the lid closed for 8 to 10 minutes. Lightly oil the grill basket or screen.

Place the shrimp in a single layer on the grill basket or screen. Close the lid and cook, turning once, until the shrimp turn pink, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Transfer the shrimp to a large bowl. Pour the warm sauce over the top and toss to coat. Serve warm with crusty French bread if desired.

Serves 4.

Cooking Tips: If you would like to make your own Creole seasoning, it’s really not hard to do. Just whisk together 1/4 cup paprika and 1/2 teaspoon each of dried thyme, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. This mixture will store for several weeks, tightly sealed, in your spice cabinet.

If you don’t have a grill basket or screen, you can cook the shrimp on skewers to prevent them falling through the grates. Just be sure to soak bamboo skewers for 30 minutes before you grill.

Marinate: At least 30 minutes but not more than 1 hour.