Devils On Horseback Recipe

Mix cream cheese filling

In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese and finely chopped pickled jalapeños until smooth and evenly combined. Set aside. Taste and adjust heat — add a bit more chopped jalapeño if you want it spicier.

Prep shrimp

Pat the jumbo shrimp dry with paper towels. Using a small paring knife, butterfly each shrimp by slicing almost through along the back and opening it flat, or leave whole but make a shallow pocket on the underside to hold filling. Toss the shrimp gently with olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika (if using).

Lay out bacon slices and, if the slices are long, cut each slice in half crosswise to yield 24 pieces. If using thick bacon, partially cook in a skillet or oven for 4–5 minutes to render some fat but do not crisp — this makes wrapping easier.

Place about 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture onto the belly side (or in the butterflied pocket) of each shrimp. Be careful not to overfill — a little goes a long way.

Wrap each prepared shrimp with a half slice of bacon (or one whole slice if you didn't cut them), bacon seam side down. Secure with a toothpick or thread onto a skewer so the bacon stays in place during cooking. Repeat until all shrimp are wrapped.

Preheat grill to medium-high (about 400°F / 200°C). If using a grill pan or cast-iron skillet, heat over medium-high. Oil the grates or pan lightly to prevent sticking.

Arrange wrapped shrimp directly on the hot grill or in the pan, seam side down. Cook for 2–3 minutes per side, turning once, until bacon is crisping and shrimp are opaque and just cooked through (internal temp ~120–125°F/49–52°C). Total cook time will be about 4–6 minutes depending on shrimp size and heat. Move shrimp to a cooler part of the grill if bacon is charring too quickly.

Make hot honey

While shrimp cook, combine honey, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl. Warm gently over low heat for 1–2 minutes (or microwave 20–30 seconds) and whisk until smooth. If glaze is too thick, add up to 1 teaspoon water to reach a brushable consistency. Keep warm.

During the last minute of grilling, brush each shrimp lightly with the hot honey glaze. Flip once more and brush the other side briefly so the glaze sets and becomes sticky. Remove shrimp from heat and let rest 1 minute.

Transfer Devils on Horseback to a serving platter. Drizzle any remaining warm hot honey over the top. Sprinkle chopped cilantro or parsley for color and serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over the shrimp.

Serve immediately while hot and sticky. These pair well as an appetizer or small plate. Invite guests to remove toothpicks before eating.