I love these Grilled King Prawns, the only way to eat giant shrimp! Sliced in half, smothered in garlic butter, and grilled on your bbq. We eat this as part of our summer seafood feast.
What's Difference Between Shrimp and Prawns?
This is always a question that comes up, because it can be confusing. Scientifically, prawns and shrimp are different from each other. However, they taste exactly the same. So in a nutshell, there is no difference when you are eating them. It comes down to your preference and how you are planning on cooking them.
Prawns tend to be a bit larger than shrimps, but you can find Jumbo Shrimp which works great in this recipe. If you are from the UK or Australia, you are more likely to call them Prawns, and if from USA or Canada, you call them shrimp.
Raw or Cooked Prawns?
In supermarkets, they usually sell bags of frozen prawns that are already cooked. They have white flesh and show the distinct pink veins of the prawns. These are not the prawns you want! You want to buy large uncooked, raw or green prawns. If you use pre-cooked prawns, the flesh isn't tender but chewy, the flavor doesn't cook throughout, and it will be like eating rubber. Don't spend your money on buying cooked prawns. This defeats the purpose of making your own grilled prawns, which will be full of flavor. You can also use fresh or frozen prawns, but fresh will taste better.
How to Butterfly Prawns
Butterfly Prawns have a nice effect when you are serving them. Slicing them in half also allows the flavor the permeate through, and it cooks faster. Place the raw prawn on a cutting board, with the belly side facing up. Using a sharp knife, slice down the belly of the king prawn. To maintain the butterfly effect, don't slice through the shrimp completely, allowing the base of shells to remain connected to each other, looking like a butterfly. Clean out the intestinal tract, and rinse the tomalley. It's that easy.
How to Grill Prawns
As I mentioned, Grilled King Prawns is the perfect summer bbq treat, it's like going away on a holiday to the tropics! All you need is a hot bbq. You can use a gas bbq or a charcoal, but most of us have a gas bbq.
You want to pat the prawns dry, this ensures they cook nice and crispy. Marinaded Prawns need to shake any excess liquids before grilling. Prawns can be grilled with their shells or without their shells. If you are using smaller shrimp or prawns that have shells removed, it helps to skewer them on a bamboo skewer before grilling. This ensures they cook evenly, and are easier to handle and to serve!
Keeping the shells on the prawns provide better flavor. As the prawns heat up, the garlic butter melts and is caught in the shell, giving more flavor. Using a pastry brush, spread the garlic butter on top of the king prawn flesh. Place the king prawns, flesh side up, on top of the bbq grill. Grill for 3-5 minutes per side until the flesh firms up and goes white (this depends on the size of your prawns). Serve immediately with lemon slices.
Grilled King Prawns Recipe Tips
- Always use raw prawns, never pre-cooked
- Best to use fresh seafood on the day you are cooking. Reminder that frozen shrimp defrost very quickly, and you want to use them right away
- Spice up your garlic butter - add a teaspoon of chopped chili peppers
- Don't over cook prawns, they will taste rubbery
Grilled Seafood Recipes You Need To Try!
Grilled King Prawns or Grilled Jumbo Shrimp are a fancy way to kick off the summer bbq season. Add a few pieces with your steak to make Surf n Turf, or make grilled king prawns part of your main meal with a salad. However you choose to serve them, everyone will love them! Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!
Ingredients
- 8 raw king prawns or jumbo shrimp
- ½ cup butter softened to room temp
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons parsley finely chopped
Instructions
How to Butterfly Shrimp
- Use a sharp knife to slice down the belly of the king prawn. To maintain the butterfly effect, don't slice through the shrimp completely, allowing it to remain connected. Clean out the intestinal tract, and rinse the tomalley.
Garlic Butter
- Mix together the butter (softened to room temp), minced garlic and parsley.
How to Grill Shrimp
- Preheat bbq grill on high. Using a pastry brush, spread the garlic butter on top of the king prawn flesh.
- Place the king prawns, flesh side up, on top of the bbq grill. Grill for 3-5 minutes per side until the flesh firms up and goes white. Serve with lemon slices.
Video
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