Sweet and Tangy BBQ Shrimp

Name: Sweet and Tangy BBQ Shrimp
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 ~ 12 inch wooden skewers; marinade ingredients; 1/2 cup ketchup; 1/4 cup lemon juice; 2 tablespoon honey; 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce; 3 scallions (thinly sliced); 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon sesame seeds; 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon allspice; 1 pound extra large shrimp (16 - 20 count per pound) peeled and deveined; 1/2 pound fully cooked kielbasa, cut in 1 inch pieces; lemon wedges - for serving

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This easy, sweet and tangy bbq shrimp recipe is perfect for your next cookout. A quick to make marinade featuring fresh lemon juice, ketchup, apple cider vinegar and honey doubles as a basting sauce for the grilled shrimp. It's a dish that everyone will love.

why I love this recipe

With blistering temperatures over the past couple weeks, I've been grilling on our Weber grill more and more. And last nights dinner was an easy Sweet and Tangy BBQ Shrimp recipe. It's an oldie but a goody along with these grilled chicken caprese sandwiches.

I love grilling because...

I spend time outside
Dinner cooks by itself with little help
No dirty pots and pans to wash!

This bbq shrimp recipe includes a homemade marinade with ingredients most kitchens have on hand including ketchup, apple cider vinegar, honey, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce. Making your own marinades is quick work. Just shake up the ingredients in a mason jar.

After spending about 30 minutes in the marinade, the shrimp get a double flavor boost from the tangy lemon barbecue sauce and the char from the grill.

the ingredients and substitutions

Grab some shrimp, kielbasa and pantry ingredients for these easy and super flavorful skewers.

ketchup ~ This is the base of the marinade/sauce.
lemon juice ~ Fresh squeezed lemon juice is my first choice. A bottled brand can be used too.
honey ~ Light brown sugar is a good substitute.
apple cider vinegar ~ The apple based vinegar adds a sweet, tangy and fruity flavor to the marinade/sauce. Try balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar instead.
Worcestershire sauce ~ In a pinch, use soy sauce as an alternative.
scallions ~ Mild shallots or Vidalia onions are a good sub.
kosher salt
sesame seeds ~ The seeds add an interesting nutty crunch.
freshly ground black pepper ~ Grinding your own pepper with a peppermill results in the most flavorful pepper.
ground allspice ~ No allspice? Substitute a pinch each of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.
extra large shrimp ~ I choose big, meaty shrimp for this recipe. Pick up extra large shrimp which come with 16-20 shrimp per pound. Smaller shrimp (21-25 shrimp per pound) can also be used.
fully cooked kielbasa ~ Chorizo, andouille or other fully cooked sausage can be alternatives.
lemon wedges ~ For serving.

instructions

Skewers are one of the easiest and fun to serve foods. These grilled shrimp skewers come together quickly and without much work.

Start off by soaking the skewers in cold water for 30 minutes.

Next make the marinade/sauce. Combine the ketchup, lemon, honey, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, scallions, kosher salt, sesame seeds, freshly ground pepper and allspice.

Place the shrimp in a large resealable bag and add about 2/3 of the marinade. Seal the bag. Marinate the shrimp in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Start your grill. Thread the shrimp and kielbasa on the skewers.

Grill for 3-4 minutes per side. Brush with the reserved marinade/sauce the last couple minutes of grilling.

Serve the skewers with the lemon wedges.

Hint # 1: Shake up the marinade in a mason jar with a tight fitting lid. It's a mess free way to mix the ingredients. And if there are any leftovers, use it to store the marinade/sauce in the refrigerator.

Hint # 2: Clean a hot grill grate with half an onion. Pierce the half onion with a fork and rub the cut side down along the grill grate. The onion's juices release and produce steam to remove the bits of charred on food.

equipment recommendations

top tip

To make this shrimp skewers recipe in advance, thread the shrimp and kielbasa on the skewers. Store in the refrigerator until grill time.

FAQs

how do you grill shrimp skewers without a grill?

You can use a grill pan on the stovetop to grill the kabobs. Heat the pan to hot and grill the sausage kabobs for 4-5 minutes per side. Brush with the marinara sauce the last few minutes of grilling time.

can you bake the skewers in the oven?

Yes! Place the skewers on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush the kabobs with the marinade/sauce. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes turning over half way through.

Can you use frozen shrimp in the recipe?

Frozen shrimp can be used in the recipe. Thaw according to the package directions before using in the recipe.

bbq shrimp and kielbasa on wooden skewers.

serving suggestions

The bbq shrimp are delicious with these cool side dishes.

Sauteed Sweet Corn Salad with Bacon

Spinach Blueberry Salad with Yogurt Dressing

Homestyle Red Potato Salad with Dill Pickles

Melon Salad with Fresh Mozzarella and Pine Nuts

just one more thing

Did you make this bbq shrimp recipe? I’d love hearing from you if you did!

Be sure to leave a comment. Or give this recipe a rating. I do my best to reply to all your comments. And snap a photo to post to Instagram. I’ll add the photos to my Insta stories. I love seeing all your creations.

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