My secret to make it island style? Spicy, balanced with the right amount of sweetness and loads of zesty, bright flavors. And the best part? I use just a few simple ingredients from my pantry and whip up this dish in no time, under 20 minutes. Whether I’m cooking indoors or firing up the grill outside, these shrimp are versatile. I love serving them over rice, in tacos, salads, or wraps. It’s all about enjoying that delicious Caribbean flavor in every bite! One look at my Jerk Shrimp, and you can guess that this is not your average shrimp dinner. They are loaded with flavors, and the inspiration behind them is my love for anything Jerk. I make Jerk Chicken here quite often, and wanted to give the same island flavors to my favorite seafood. Today I decided to use dry Jerk Seasoning for this recipe, instead of Jerk Marinade. But you can use either one of them, or a little of both for a flavor BOMB.
What is Jamaican Jerk?
Jerk is a Jamaican style of cooking. This rustic, traditional home cooking method, with it’s unique seasoning, is the Caribbean way to barbecue. This cooking style involves marinating the meat with a dry rub or marinating sauce, and then grilling it over open fires. The smoke and the spices in the marinade results in a smoky, spicy, zesty plate of chicken, beef, fish, or other meat. The term “jerk” is thought to be derived from an English translation of the Spanish word “Charqui”, which means dried preserved strips of meat, like modern day jerky. The technique of jerk suggests it may have started out as a way to preserve wild boar, salting and smoking the meat. These jerk shrimp use the iconic jerk flavors from their seasoning rub, and few other flavor enhancers like honey, soy and lime to crate that sweet and spicy kick. Jamaican Jerk Seasoning is a famous rub all over Caribbean. There are many versions, but typically it’s a mix of spices and herbs like nutmeg, allspice, smoked paprika, cayenne, red chili flakes, cinnamon, sugar, thyme, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
What Type of Shrimp to Use
I recommend using jumbo or colossal shrimp for Jerk shrimp. If they are wild caught, that’s the best kind. Either fresh or frozen both can for these spicy Caribbean style shrimp. If using frozen shrimp, make sure you thaw the shrimp completely and pat dry before using. I like to keep the tail on, but that’s a personal preference.
Ingredients Needed:
Shrimp Garlic Thyme – I use fresh thyme, but you can use dried thyme in its absence. Honey – Balances the spicy notes. Soy sauce – For a little umami touch to the fiery kick. Lime – Gives a good tang to seafood. Salt – To taste. Jerk seasoning: Hence the name Jerk shrimp. The signature jerk flavors. We are using store bought jerk seasoning today, but you can make your own jerk seasoning in a jiffy. Simply mix the following:½ tsp garlic powder ½ tsp onion powder ½ tsp dried thyme 1 tsp paprika ¼ tsp red chili flakes ⅛ tsp allspice ⅛ tsp nutmeg ¼ tsp cayenne pepper ⅛ tsp sea salt Olive oil – For stovetop method.
Jerk Shrimp Recipe
- Marinate: I mix the shrimp with all the other ingredients, except olive oil, and let it marinate in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.
- Cook: I cook the jerk shrimp using either of the following methods, depending on my mood and the day.
Stovetop Method
I heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Then, I add the shrimp along with the marinade and cook them for about 3 minutes per side, or until they’re opaque and cooked through.
Grilling Method
On nice days, I preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Then, I thread the marinated shrimp onto skewers and grill them for about 2-3 minutes per side, until they’re fully cooked.
Alpana’s Tips
Serving Suggestions
I love to create bowl meals with this Caribbean style shrimp. I simply serve them on a bed of rice along with Mango Salsa and lots of lime. If you want to go all out, make some Jamaican Rice and Peas. Jerk Shrimp Tacos are absolutely phenomenal, and binge worthy. Jerk Shrimp Salad: Some days I throw them on top of a salad. Even on Caesar, making Jerk Caesar salad. How cool!! Jerk Shrimp Pasta: I love to swirl some jerk shrimp in creamy pasta, like our Alfredo Pasta, Primavera or Pesto Pasta. Sandwiches and Wraps: Make a great sandwich, or wrap them up in your favorite wrap. In between Quesadillas and Burritos: I chop them up and fill up my burritos and quesadillas. How about some nachos? We have great Surf and Turf Nachos. Simply make jerk style shrimp for that recipe. Some special days, I serve them atop some creamy Grits. Jerk Shrimp & Grits, YUM!
Make my Jamaican style shrimp for a quick weeknight dinner, or save it for some special taco night. You won’t get enough of this island favorite. Remember, you can always adjust the heat just the way you like it, the shrimp will still have all the other flavor notes that actually enhance the spice factor. There is always something delicious coming out of my kitchen. I am glad that you are with us on this delicious journey called GypsyPlate. It shows in that our followers keep growing day by day. Thank you…
Jerk Shrimp, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
Try these other great shrimp recipes!Shrimp Creole with SausageSpicy Garlic ShrimpNew Orleans BBQ ShrimpAsopao de CamaronesLowcountry Shrimp & GritsShrimp fra DiavoloGambas al AjilloShrimp de JongheShrimp Po’ Boy
