Bbq Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Recipe

Prep shrimp and bacon

Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Cut each bacon slice in half crosswise. Sprinkle shrimp with smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper and toss to coat.

Wrap shrimp

Take one shrimp and wrap a half-slice of bacon around the middle, slightly overlapping. Thread 4 wrapped shrimp onto each skewer (or 3 if large) so they sit snugly but not crushed. Repeat until all shrimp are wrapped and skewered (expect 6 skewers).

Preheat grill or broiler

Preheat grill to medium-high (about 400°F / 200°C) or preheat broiler and position rack 6 inches from heat. Oil the grates or brush a sheet pan with neutral oil to prevent sticking.

Cook and baste

Place skewers on the grill or under the broiler, bacon seam-side down. Grill 2-3 minutes per side, turning carefully, until bacon is crisping and shrimp are opaque and just cooked through (internal shrimp temp ~135–140°F / 57–60°C). In the last 1-2 minutes, brush both sides with barbecue sauce and let glaze set. Remove to a plate and let rest 2 minutes.

Cook grits

Bring water and milk to a gentle boil with 1 tsp salt in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in grits, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, until thick and tender, about 20–25 minutes (follow package timing for coarse grits).

Finish grits

Once thick, stir in butter, cream cheese, shredded cheddar and chopped pimentos until smooth and fully combined. Adjust seasoning with pepper and a pinch of salt if needed. The mixture should be thick but spreadable—if too stiff, stir in a tablespoon of milk.

Set and form cakes

Lightly oil a small round cake ring or 8-inch baking dish. Pour grits into a shallow pan or the dish to about 1/2 inch thickness. Chill in the refrigerator for 30–45 minutes until firm enough to cut. When firm, use a 3–3.5 inch round cutter to cut 6 small grit cakes. If desired, reserve extra grit for spooning on plates.

Pan-sear grit cakes

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat with 1 tsp oil. Sear grit cakes 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp on both sides. Keep warm in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) while finishing other components.

Cook bacon

In a medium skillet over medium heat, add diced bacon and cook until fat renders and bacon is crispy, about 6–8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate leaving about 1–2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pan.

Sauté vegetables

Add diced onion to the bacon fat and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add corn and cook 3–4 minutes more until corn is tender and starting to brown. Stir in minced garlic and thyme and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Finish sauté

Return crispy bacon to the pan. Stir in brown sugar and apple cider vinegar; cook 1 minute to meld flavors. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm until plating.

Place one pimento grit cake in the center of each appetizer plate.

Spoon a generous tablespoon of the bacon and corn sauté on top of each grit cake, spreading slightly but leaving room to top with shrimp.

Lay one bacon-wrapped shrimp skewer across each grit cake (or cut skewer in half and fan shrimp over cake). Drizzle a little extra barbecue sauce over the shrimp and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over shrimp.