Grilled Buffalo shrimp

Why didn’t I think of this? If it weren’t for the fat, I’d eat Buffalo wings three times a week so when this alternative, an easy recipe for Buffalo Shrimp, appeared in my sidebar I put shrimp on the shopping list. Boy, is it good. For anyone still under the impression that shrimp is too high in cholesterol to eat, know that as long ago as 1996 a study by two universities refuted that and in fact there are nearly two dozen shrimp recipes at the American Heart Association’s website. When the study was released, the AHA’s Barbara Howard reminded people, “If they’re going to eat shrimp, and it is low fat, it’s not going to help them if they fry it or eat in a high fat sauce.”

Which brings us to this recipe. The two-ingredient sauce does have butter but we can control that since it’s not from a bottle and I did use slightly less. Also, the shrimp is tossed in the sauce, not drenched with it. Gourmet, which published it, sees this as an hors d’oeuvre with three or four servings to a pound. Great idea, but anyone who’s ever served shrimp with drinks knows how easily people nibble more than they would if it were a meal, so I have no qualms about serving these for a light lunch, especially with salad greens.

The shrimp can be grilled indoors or out and the original recipe gives detailed instructions for gas and charcoal methods, if you need them. That’s where you’ll also find the companion recipe for Blue Cheese Dip, if serving them as an hors d’oeuvre. If you like blue cheese dressing, it’s a natural if serving this with greens; I don’t and used a squeeze of lemon juice instead. And if I’d had celery on hand, I’d have sliced a stalk and added it to the salad to complete the homage to Buffalo wings.

Grilled Buffalo Shrimp

Adapted from Gourmet

18 shrimp, 16/20 or 21/25 size (see note), deveined and peeled, leaving on tail and last shell segment
2 TB olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 stick/56g unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup/4 TB Frank’s RedHot or other hot sauce

For charcoal grilling, use the indirect method with medium-high heat. For gas, use medium heat. For both, if further details are needed, follow the link above to the original recipe.

For indoors, oil a grill pan and heat it over medium heat.

As the grill or pan heats up, toss the shrimp with the 2 TB of olive oil, the salt and pepper. Grill the shrimp, turning once, until pink and cooked through, about 7 to 8 minutes total.

Combine the melted butter and hot sauce in a bowl, add the shrimp and toss to coat. Serve with celery sticks and Blue Cheese Dip or, as Ella did, as part of a salad.

A note about shrimp sizes: I’ve noticed we’re supersizing without realizing it. Some recent recipes, including the original of this one, define “jumbo” shrimp as those sold as 16/20, meaning 16 to 20 shrimp per pound. In years past, 16/20 were “extra jumbo” and 21/25 (which is what I used instead, even though the option wasn’t there) were called “jumbo.” Bottom line is it always pays to shop for a shrimp recipe by the numbers, not the names. ~ ella

If you have a taste for Buffalo wings now, please see the recipe in my post called Football Food.

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Tagged as: appetizer, easy, healthy recipes, nutrition, shrimp