The buttery sauce with that tang from the Worcestershire and freshness from the rosemary pair perfectly with the tender shrimp. Then that salty bread adds the perfect crunch and rounds out an ideal BBQ meal.
Top tips from me:
1) First and foremost, the most important thing is getting the freshest shrimp possible. David stresses that getting shrimp where the head may be slightly detached, or they may stink a bit, or they may be slimy can entirely ruin the dish. Even if the seller has the shrimp on ice, you should check that the shrimp is fresh before purchasing. I got mine from Captain White’s Seafood City at the Wharf’s Municipal Fish Market since they had a head-on option that looked/smelled/felt fresh to me. Check those stalls out for similar options!
2) Definitely mentally prepare yourself if you’ve never cleaned shrimp before. Here is the step-by-step guide I used that helped me figure out what I needed to do, since it was my first time.
3) Use surgical or latex gloves for when you’re cleaning the shrimp! You’re welcome to go at it bare-handed, but I felt more confident getting all the shell off and getting the vein out with the gloves keeping my hands clean.
4) When peeling, be careful not to pull too much near the head or squeeze it, since we want to keep it on. Use a paring knife to slice only about a centimeter into the shrimp’s “back” and get that vein out. Pull gently so the whole thing comes out, and feel free to use that paring knife to help with the peeling. I cut the antennae off and peeled the legs as well to make the shrimp a bit cleaner to cook and eat.
5) I, for some reason, was not expecting the shrimp to slide around once placed on the skewers but they do, so just be weary of that when it comes to transferring them to a pan or the grill.
6) Use fresh minced garlic in the sauce for the strongest flavor.
7) Close the grill lid immediately after setting the shrimp and bread on the grill to keep the heat at a fairly consistent temperature. Set a timer when cooking the shrimp to make sure you don’t over cook them. Just toast the bread to however crispy you would like it.
8) This sauce honestly goes on anything! It’s delicious, and I’d definitely drench your shrimp in it.
Time:
Overall, this took me about an hour and a half start to finish, keeping in mind that I did stop to take photos. Prepping the shrimp does take about 20-30 minutes, and the sauce may take a minute to make, but the shrimp cooks quickly. I halved this recipe and it served about 4 but David says his measurements serve 6. It likely depends on what size shrimp you get.
Ingredients
6 (12-inch) wooden skewers — 2 lb. unpeeled, raw Gulf shrimp — ¼ cup olive oil, divided — 10 tbsp. butter, divided — 1 tsp. whole black peppercorns — 2 bay leaves — 3 tbsp. minced garlic cloves — 2 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary — ½ cup Worcestershire sauce — ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper — 1 French bread baguette, sliced — 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil — table salt
Instructions:
1. Soak skewers in warm water 20 to 30 min. Peel shrimp, keeping heads and tails on. Reserve the shells in a bowl, throw out the veins and any antennae.
2. Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil and 2 tbsp. butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Add
the shells, peppercorns and bay leaves. Cook 3 min. or until shells change color. Add 2 cups water, increase heat and simmer 10 to 12 min.
3. Remove the stock from heat and pour through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl. Discard solids, and reserve stock.
4. Light charcoal grill or preheat gas grill to 350-400 degrees (medium-high). Meanwhile, thread shrimp on skewers — about three per skewer.
5. Heat remaining 2 tbsp. olive oil in pan over medium-high heat for 1
min. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium, then add rosemary and cook for 2 min. Add Worcestershire sauce, ground pepper and 1 cup reserved shrimp stock. Increase heat and simmer until reduced by half.
6. Brush some of sauce over the shrimp, reserving remaining sauce.
7. Place skewers on cooking grate and grill about 2 min. on each side.
8. Slice bread about 1 inch thick and brush with extra virgin olive oil, then season with salt. Grill until toasted.
9. Reheat remaining sauce over medium-high heat and whisk in remaining 8 tbsp. butter, 2 tbsp. at a time.
10. Place 1 skewer of shrimp on each serving plate, top with sauce and serve with bread. Enjoy!
The Sunday Roast 
One thought