Smoked Shrimp Recipe: Tips, Variations, and How to Serve

Smoked shrimp involves slowly cooking shrimp via the indirect heat of woodsmoke, using a BBQ smoker like a pellet smoker or an electric smoker. Since shrimp are small and fast-cooking, smoking them takes a fraction of the time it would take to smoke brisket or other large cuts. The method works best on larger species, like jumbo shrimp, which are less at risk for overcooking during the slightly longer cook time.

Most smoked shrimp variations involve applying a glaze or sauce after cooking. Here are a few ideas:

1. 1. Butter garlic: One of the most popular flavor combinations for any style of cooked shrimp is also the simplest: garlic and butter. Combine garlic powder or freshly minced garlic cloves with melted butter, and add the mixture to the shrimp before smoking.
2. 2. New Orleans–style: Southern-style smoked shrimp combines a base layer of Cajun seasoning with a sweet and savory finishing sauce consisting of barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar.
   
3. 3. Teriyaki: The salty-sweet notes of teriyaki are a perfect complement to smoked seafood. Brush teriyaki sauce on cooked shrimp when they come out of the smoker, or toss the shrimp and sauce together in a large bowl before smoking. Be sure to use a teriyaki sauce (either store-bought or homemade) that’s thick enough to stick to the meat. Top the sticky-sweet shrimp with sesame seeds and serve.

Smoked shrimp can be an appetizer or a main course, depending on how you choose to present it.

• Over rice, polenta, or pasta: Pair smoked shrimp with cooked grains like rice or creamy corn polenta for an easy and filling main dish. Use smoked shrimp to add a woodsy undertone to pasta dishes like shrimp scampi or shrimp alfredo.
• In shrimp tacos: Smoked shrimp take taco night to new heights, especially when served with citrusy lime crema, pickled onions or jalapeños, and a side of rice and beans.
  
• With a dipping sauce: Serve smoked shrimp as a standalone appetizer or pair them with a dipping sauce, like cocktail sauce, remoulade, or garlicky herbed yogurt.

Smoked shrimp require a little planning ahead thanks to the low-and-slow cooking method. Here’s how to prepare:

1. 1. Buy frozen shrimp. The best way to guarantee freshness when purchasing raw shrimp is (perhaps contrary to popular belief) to buy them frozen. In many cases, grocery stores receive frozen shrimp deliveries that they thaw and sell at the seafood counters. Place the shrimp in a strainer set over a bowl and thaw them in the refrigerator overnight. Alternatively, completely seal the shrimp in a plastic bag, and run it under cold water to thaw.
2. 2. Devein as needed. Shrimp have a dark blue or black digestive tract that runs like a vein along their back ridges. “Deveining” is the process of removing this tract, and depending on the size of your shrimp and how you decide to cook them, it can eliminate any leftover grit in the final dish. Many grocery stores sell deveined shrimp, but you can peel and devein shrimp yourself by using a paring knife or pair of kitchen shears to cut away the shell and open up the ridge to remove any waste.
3. 3. Choose the right wood chips. The choice of smoking wood is, in most cases, a personal one, but there are a few factors that make some a better option than others. Namely, how fast the smoking wood burns and the flavor it imparts. Fruit woods burn faster than oak and hickory and produce smoke with an extremely subtle and well-rounded fruity sweetness. For those reasons, applewood, cherry wood, peach wood, or pear wood are great choices for proteins that don’t need as long in the smoker, like shellfish and shrimp. If you prefer a bolder flavor profile, try maple or, for more advanced cooks, mesquite.