Why This Recipe Works

To avoid the hassle of removing the shells, we went with peeled shrimp for our grilled shrimp recipe and then crammed them onto a skewer, which prevented them from overcooking. We took the shrimp off the cooking grate before they were completely cooked and finished cooking them in a heated sauce waiting on the cooler side of the grill; this final simmer gave our shrimp tons of flavor.

Before You Begin

The shrimp and sauce (see related recipes for choices) finish cooking together on the grill, so prepare the sauce ingredients while the grill is heating, then carry them out to the grill with you. To fit all the shrimp on the cooking grate at once, you’ll need three 14-inch metal skewers. (Wooden skewers will likely burn.) Serve with grilled crusty bread brushed with olive oil as an appetizer; add rice salad or couscous for a main course.

Instructions

Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Thread shrimp onto three 14-inch metal skewers, alternating direction of heads and tails. Brush both sides of shrimp with oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle 1 side of each kebab with sugar.

Turn all burners to high; cover; and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Clean and oil cooking grate.

Place kebabs, sugared side down, on grate; use tongs to push shrimp together on skewer if they have separated. Grill shrimp, covered, until lightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Using tongs, flip and grill until second side is pink and slightly translucent, 1 to 2 minutes longer.

Using pot holder or oven mitt, carefully lift each kebab from grill; use tongs to slide shrimp off skewers into pie plate with sauce. Toss shrimp and sauce to combine and transfer pie plate back to grill; cook, stirring, until shrimp are opaque and fully cooked, about 30 seconds. Remove from grill, add remaining sauce ingredients, and toss to combine. Transfer to serving platter and serve immediately with lemon wedges.