Devils On Horseback Recipe

Prep shrimp

Rinse shrimp and pat very dry with paper towels. If tails are on, leave them for presentation but remove any remaining vein. Using a small paring knife, make a shallow slit along the belly of each shrimp and lightly butterfly it so it will lay flatter and hold filling.

Make filling

In a small bowl, combine softened cream cheese, chopped pickled jalapeños, lime juice, sea salt and black pepper. Mix until smooth and evenly combined. Taste and adjust salt or jalapeño to your preference.

Fill shrimp

Using a small spoon or a piping bag, place about 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture into the butterflied cavity of each shrimp. Press gently so filling adheres but does not overflow.

Prepare bacon

Cut each bacon slice in half crosswise. Take one half-slice and wrap it around the middle of a filled shrimp once or twice (depending on bacon width and shrimp size), leaving the tail visible. Secure the bacon with a soaked toothpick pushed through the bacon and shrimp to hold it in place.

Optional seasoning

Lightly brush each wrapped shrimp with a little neutral oil and sprinkle a light dusting (about a pinch) of smoked paprika over the bacon for color and slight smokiness.

Grill or pan-cook

Preheat a grill or a heavy skillet (cast-iron) over medium-high heat. If using a grill, oil the grates. Cook the bacon-wrapped shrimp for about 2–3 minutes per side, turning once, until bacon is crispish and shrimp are opaque and just cooked through (internal temperature ~120–130°F / 49–54°C for shrimp). If bacon is browning too fast before shrimp are cooked, move to a cooler part of the grill or reduce heat and cook a bit longer to finish shrimp without burning bacon.

Apply hot honey

During the last 30 seconds of cooking, brush each cooked shrimp generously with hot honey so it caramelizes slightly. Alternatively, transfer shrimp to a tray and drizzle with hot honey immediately after cooking.

Place the Devils on Horseback on a serving platter. Remove toothpicks if you prefer before serving or leave them in for easy picking. Garnish with microgreens or chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges for squeezing. Serve hot.