In less than 30 minutes, you can dress this crispy bacon-wrapped shrimp in a sweet and spicy glaze for a dynamically delicious appetizer or main dish. Nathan Hays of County Line Smokers took 2nd place appetizer with this recipe at the 2015 World Steak Championship. He was the only minor who qualified for the contest, and he made history, as the minimum age for head cook is now 18 years old.
YIELD: 1–2 SERVINGS • COOK TIME: 24 MINUTES
1 pineapple
1 jalapeño
1 tbsp (10 g) Meat Mitch Whomp Rub or favorite rub
6–8 (12–18 count) shrimp, unshelled
1 (1-lb [454-g]) package low-sodium bacon
1 (10-oz [285-g]) jar pineapple jelly
1 (12-oz [340-g]) jar jalapeño jelly
1 tbsp (15 ml) honey
Configure your grill for direct cooking, and preheat to 375 to 400°F (191 to 204°C).
Place the pineapple on a cutting board on its side. Using a chef’s knife, cut off the top and bottom. Hold the pineapple upright with one hand. Using the other hand, slice down along the height of the pineapple and remove the skin. Rotate the pineapple and repeat until all the skin is removed. Use a paring knife to trim off any remaining brown spots. Place the pineapple back on its side and cut into ¼-inch (6-mm) slices. Using a straight apple corer, remove the center of each pineapple slice, creating rings.
Slice the stem off the top of the jalapeño and cut in half. Remove the seeds and cut into ¼-inch (6-mm) strips.
Sprinkle the rub on the shrimp. Place jalapeño slices down the back of a shrimp, and then wrap it in bacon. Use a toothpick to hold the bacon in place. Sprinkle more rub on the outside of the bacon. Repeat for all the shrimp.
To make the glaze, mix equal parts pineapple jelly and jalapeño jelly in a small saucepan. Add the honey, and then place the pan on the grill for 5 to 10 minutes, until warm, and set aside.
Grill the pineapple rings for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove them from the grill and cut them in half.
Grill the bacon-wrapped shrimp over direct heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Ideally, you want to get the bacon cooked without overcooking the shrimp. As the shrimp cooks and the bacon gets crisp, baste with the glaze. When cooked, remove from the grill and place on top of the pineapple half-ring slices to serve.