Bring a taste of Louisiana to your table with my New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp Recipe. This tasty dish features shrimp marinated in a zesty garlic-based sauce. Once the shrimp has soaked up all the flavor, it’s cooked to perfection on the PK 360 Grill. The cherry on top is a silky pan sauce infused with lemon, garlic, and a few of my signature rubs and sauces.
This delicious seafood meal would be ideal for date night, Valentine’s Day, or to jazz up an ordinary weeknight. It’s sure to make your mouth water!
Shrimp is impressive on its own, but it takes on a whole new style when cooked on the PK 360 Grill. The key to juicy seafood is a good marinade and a tasty sauce, both of which this recipe has. Though my New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp has a few steps, it comes together in a jiffy. Your friends will never guess how simple it was to make!
The Ingredients
This decadent recipe comes together with a few simple pantry ingredients. I’m guessing you have most of these in your cupboard already! You won’t use all of my seasonings, so save the remainder for the next great cook. Here’s what you need to add to your shopping cart.
- Olive oil. A little fat adds moisture to the shrimp and infuses it with flavor. Olive oil is a mild option that helps the spices stick to the shrimp. I use extra-virgin olive oil for its neutral flavor.
- Heath Riles BBQ Sweet BBQ Rub. This seasoning blend was the very first I ever perfected. It’s a great addition to beef, seafood, pork, and bloody marys! It contains a delicious blend of paprika, sugar, garlic, and onion powder.
- Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Jalapeño Rub. This tasty AP rub combines garlic and jalapeño notes for a mind-blowing burst of flavor. Pitmasters around the world are raving over this product! Try it for yourself and see why.
- Gulf shrimp. For this recipe, I used Gulf shrimp. This particular variety of shrimp is what you’ll find in authentic New Orleans dishes. I always enjoy Gulf shrimp and discovered that they’re the juiciest and most flavorful.
- Butter. The main ingredient in my pan sauce is butter. The butter browns when cooked on the PK 360 Grill, creating an earthy flavor. It’s a great base that thickens any sauce.
- Veggies. I added bell pepper and onion to give this dish a little texture. To add color, I used three different types of bell peppers. You can use whatever peppers you have on hand, but there’s something special about a colorful plate.
- Fresh lemon. I love lemon and seafood. It’s a cheery combination that will make anyone's day! Fresh lemon seeps into the shrimp, giving it a delicate flavor. I like to garnish my plate with lemon slices as well.
- Heath Riles BBQ Sweet BBQ Sauce. If you like ketchup-based sauces, you’ll love this one! It took me ten years to tweak this condiment to perfection. It was worth it. This sauce is one of my best-selling ingredients, and it’s not hard to see why! You can’t beat the blend of sweet, savory, and a little sassy.
- Heath Riles BBQ Tangy Vinegar Sauce. I created this sauce because I wanted a vinegar-based ingredient that wasn’t too tangy. This ingredient hits the spot! It’s great on its own, as a salad dressing, or paired with other sauces.
The Smoker Setup
Here’s the main equipment I used to make my New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp Recipe. You can find more of my grilling favorites in the Equipment and Tools section.
- Grill/Smoker. I used the PK 360 Grill for this cook. This setup grills and smokes with ease. This pit is cast aluminum, making it durable and able to hold its heat. I love the adjustable airflow, which makes it easy to craft the perfect gourmet dinner.
- Charcoal. I stoked the PK 360 Grill with Royal Oak Charcoal and Royal Oak Tumbleweeds. This combination burns hot and fast. I use these pellets often with great results! Royal Oak Charcoal is an excellent brand of clean charcoal without any fillers.
The Process for Making New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp
You can see this recipe's detailed demonstration in the video and recipe card. Here’s a quick overview of how I pulled this fantastic meal together.
- Fire up the PK 360 Grill. I used my Vortex Chimney to create a two-zone fire, stoking the PK 360 Grill with Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Pellets and Royal Oak Tumbleweeds. I placed my GrillGrates on top and let it preheat.
- Marinate the shrimp. I placed the shrimp in a large bowl and sprinkled it with 1 tablespoon of Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Jalapeño Rub and 2 tablespoons of Heath Riles BBQ Sweet BBQ Rub. Then, I added the minced garlic and drizzled the mixture with olive oil, tossing it to coat. I marinated my shrimp in the fridge for 1 hour, but you can marinate overnight if desired.
- Saute the veggies. I set my cast iron skillet on the PK 360 Grill to preheat. Once the skillet was hot, I added the butter, onions, and peppers. I sprinkled Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Jalapeño Rub and Heath Riles BBQ Sweet BBQ Rub over the top. I let the veggies saute on the hot zone until they were caramelized.
- Make the pan sauce. Once the veggies were soft, I added my Better Than Bouillon paste, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, Heath Riles BBQ Tangy Vinegar Sauce, and Heath Riles BBQ Sweet Sauce. I cooked this mixture for 5 minutes in the hot zone before moving it to the cool side. I added my lemon slices to the sauce so it could infuse my shrimp.
- Cook the shrimp. I laid my shrimp on the GrillGrates and let them go for 30 seconds on each side, then added them to my pan sauce. Once the shrimp was in the sauce, I garnished the top with parsley and green onions. I let the shrimp cook for 5-10 more minutes until no longer translucent.
- Serve. I took the shrimp off the PK 360 Grill and let it cool before serving. The only thing left was to dig in!
The Results
You’ll be the most popular guy in the room when you serve this meal! This seafood dish came off the grill smelling like something you’d get in a New Orleans restaurant. The shrimp was perfectly seasoned, and every bite was infused with BBQ flair.
Serving Suggestions for New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp
I served my New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp over a bed of white rice with thinly sliced French bread. This is my favorite way to eat this meal! It’s hearty, delicious, and the simple sides let the shrimp shine.
Storing Leftovers
You can store leftover shrimp in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Equipment and Tools
PK 360 Grill, Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Pellets, Royal Oak Tumbleweeds, olive oil dispenser, Nechtik BBQ Gloves, GrillGrates, mixing bowls, Vortex Chimney, metal tongs, Lodge Cast Iron Skillet
