Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In large mixing bowl, combine ½ cup avocado oil, 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 diced jalapeño, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, zest of 2 limes, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon paprika, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Mix thoroughly.
- Add 2 lbs peeled and deveined shrimp to marinade. Toss to coat completely. Cover and refrigerate 20 minutes to 1 hour maximum.
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat, approximately 400°F. Clean grates and oil lightly.
- Remove shrimp from marinade. Place directly on grill grates or on skewers. Grill 2 to 3 minutes with lid closed.
- Flip shrimp. Grill additional 2 to 3 minutes until shrimp form loose C-shapes and are opaque throughout.
- Transfer to platter. Immediately squeeze juice of 2 fresh limes over hot shrimp. Toss gently and serve.
Nutrition
Notes
Don't marinate longer than 1 hour. Extended marinating beyond 1 hour makes shrimp mushy from acid and salt. Twenty minutes minimum gives good flavor. One hour maximum provides optimal flavor without texture damage.
Use avocado oil, not olive oil. Avocado oil's 520°F smoke point stays stable at 400°F grill temps. Olive oil breaks down and creates bitter, burnt flavors.
Watch for C-shape doneness. Perfectly cooked shrimp curl into loose C-shape. Overcooked shrimp curl into tight O-shape. Pull at C-shape stage.
Keep lime juice separate until finishing. Adding juice to marinade would make shrimp mushy. Fresh juice at end provides bright acidity without texture issues.
Jumbo shrimp work best. Smaller shrimp cook too fast and easily overcook. Jumbo shrimp give you margin for error. Look for 16-20 count per pound.
Grill on direct heat. No need for two-zone setup. Medium-high direct heat cooks shrimp quickly with light char.
Serve immediately. Shrimp are best hot off grill. They become rubbery when reheated.
Store leftovers up to 2 days refrigerated. Eat cold in salads or tacos rather than reheating.