Grilled Head-On New Orleans-Style BBQ Shrimp

Growing up in the Deep South, I was constantly surrounded by tastes, smells, flavors and stories. I lived in New Orleans, but spent many weekends at my Aunt Boo’s house in Abbeville, Louisiana. There, I would spend time with my Aunt Boo, Janice Bourgeois, aka the high priestess of the bayou. She was my godmother and the godmother to 11 different kids.

Aunt Boo’s kitchen was like a mechanic’s body shop – nothing fancy and shiny. It was down and dirty. There’s something about walking into a real cook’s kitchen, you can just tell it’s built for cooking.

Aunt Boo pretty much lived in that kitchen, standing there with a cold beer in one hand and a fly swatter in the other, and over the years I became fascinated with what she was doing. At some point, Aunt Boo recognized my curiosity and she began teaching me the tricks of the trade. 

The smell and taste of this recipe instantly brings me back to my childhood in Aunt Boo’s kitchen in Abbeville.    

Serves 6.

Ingredients

  • 6 (12-inch) wooden skewers

  • 2 pounds unpeeled, raw Gulf shrimp

  • 1/4 cup olive oil, divided

  • 10 TBSP butter, divided

  • 1 tsp whole black peppercorns

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 3 TBSP garlic cloves

  • 2 TBSP rosemary, fresh, chopped

  • 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce

  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 French bread baguette, sliced

  • 4 TBSP Extra virgin olive oil

  • Table salt

Cooking Instructions

Soak skewers in warm water 20 to 30 minutes. Peel shrimp, keeping heads on; reserve shells. Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil and 2 Tbsp. butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Add shells, peppercorns, and bay leaves; cook 3 minutes or until shells change color. Add 2 cups water; increase heat, and simmer 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat; our through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl. Discard solids, and reserve stock.

Light charcoal grill or preheat gas grill to 350-400 degrees (medium-high). Thread shrimp on skewers. Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil in pan over medium-high heat 1 minute. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium; add rosemary, and cook 2 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and 1 cup reserved shrimp stock; increase heat, and simmer until reduced by half. Brush some of sauce over shrimp, reserving remaining sauce. Place skewers on cooking grate; grill 2 minutes on each side.

Slice bread; brush with extra virgin olive oil, and season with salt. Grill until toasted. Reheat remaining sauce over medium-high heat; whisk in remaining 8 Tbsp. butter, 2 Tbsp. at a time. Place 1 skewer of shrimp on each serving plate, top with sauce, and serve with bread.