Grilled Shrimp With Chile and Garlic

By Ali Slagle

Updated Aug. 4, 2022

Grilled Shrimp With Chile and Garlic
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
25 minutes
Rating
4(904)
Comments
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Shrimp are a treat and should be handled as such — and this recipe guarantees grilled shrimp that are reliably juicy, charred and seasoned. First, try this trick from J. Kenji López-Alt for plump meat with a browned crust: Stir a little baking soda into mayonnaise, and season it with salt, garlic and chile, which will intensify in the mayonnaise’s fat. Coat the shrimp in the mayonnaise mixture and refrigerate for up to 30 minutes, then grill mostly on one side to avoid overcooking. Eat over grains, lettuces, lemon pasta or noodle salad; in tortillas or pita; or popped right into your mouth. As far as seasonings go, start with chile and garlic, then switch up subsequent batches with lemon zest, Old Bay, ginger and more.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 6garlic cloves
  • ½ to 1fresh hot chile, such as jalapeño or Fresno (depending on the chile’s kick and your heat tolerance)
  • ¼cup mayonnaise
  • 1½teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
  • Heaping ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1½pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on, patted dry
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

253 calories; 12 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 35 grams protein; 449 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for high heat. (If you don’t have a grill, you can cook the shrimp in a cast-iron skillet over high heat, with the vent on, following the same timing.) Using a Microplane or the small holes of a box grater, grate the garlic and chile into a medium bowl. Stir in the mayonnaise, salt and baking soda. Add the shrimp and stir to combine. Refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Clean the grates with a grill brush (no need to grease the grates), then grill the shrimp until well browned, 2 to 4 minutes. (If using a gas grill, close the lid to maintain temperature.) Flip and cook until opaque throughout, 1 to 2 minutes. Eat right away.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
904 user ratings
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Comments

George

Baking soda on any protein is a method of velveting. It prevents toughness by altering the proteins preventing them from binding as tightly when cooked. It's virtually a necessity on chicken breast.

Lynda H.

Great article on Serious Eats how mincing garlic affects flavor. Tested: knife-minced, garlic press, mortar and pestle, knife pureed, microplane. Raw: knife-minced garlic is by far the mildest, microplaned garlic very aggressive, the other three are in the middle. Quick cooking: heat tames the strength of all garlic; microplaned still the strongest. Long cooking: all garlic flavors reduced to a single mellow garlic base note. See "The Best Way to Mince Garlic" by Dan Gritzer.

Ann R.

Any reason you can't place garlic & chilis in a chopper and just process that way? Microplaning garlic is no big deal, but chilis are another matter. Thanks.

CJ Segal-Isaacson

I just put a little salt and pepper in. Used one pound of large shrimp for my husband and me. It was absolutely delicious. We pigged out on it. I got my 12" cast iron frying pan rip roaring hot - it was smoking. With the baking soda the shrimp charred easily on both sides. I turned the shrimp over as soon as it turned pink - less than two minutes - and a little charred. The second side needed very little time to finish cooking.

Denise

Wow!! Made this as described. It was absolutely delicious!! I didn’t grill the shrimp just poured it all into a cast iron pan. Did not disappoint! I cannot wait to make this again. Served it over chicken broth rice

Dagmar

Used garlic, mayo and chili crisp (and the baking soda) and cut way back on the salt, and roasted the shrimp on a sheet pan in the oven. Delicious! A keeper of a concoction! I look forward to riffing on it.

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