Grilling Shrimp 101

* Shrimp are quick and easy to cook and are always a crowd pleaser.
* And shrimp is one of my all time favorite seafoods, Gulf shrimp, that is. Personally, I think the wild Gulf of Mexico shrimp are the only way to go. The commomly available tiger shrimp (supermarket shrimp) just do not have the flavor and texture you are looking for. Once you taste the difference you will see what I mean. Tigers are cheaper but you get what you pay for! Other good shrimp include Key West pinks and the super large freshwater prawns
* The grill is the way to go for flavor and taste. Shrimp can be used with a wide variety of marinades and recipes. They take longer to marinade than fish so plan accordinglly. A couple of hours with most marinades is good. Be careful of citrus based marinades as they will start the cooking process (i.e. ceviche)
* .Larger shrimp are best on the grill, directly on the grate. Smaller shrimp can be skewered or cooked on a grill pan. Peeled and deveined shrimp are the easiest to work with but if you're feeding a crowd, shell on shrimp will slow them down. Shrimp in the shell just need to split down the back and deveined before marinating.
* The recipe that follows is one of the easiest and best tasting of all!

Ingredients

* 2 pounds Gulf shrimp, 10/15 count, peeled and deveined
* 1 1/2 cups tequila chili marinade-see recipe below

Marinade Recipe

* 3/4 cup chili sauce
* 1/2 cup olive oil
* 1/4 cup tequila
* !/4 cup fresh garlic, minced
* 1 Tablespoon cajun seasoning

Blend all ingredients together, add shrimp. Place in refrigerator.

Directions

Thaw the shrimp if they are frozen, run under cold water 10 to 15 minutes then drain excess water. Putmarinade and shrimp into plastic ziplock bag or covered bowl, in the refrigerator, for a least two hours or more (I've done them overnight and they were fine). Remove from refrigerator 30 to 40 minutes before cooking.

Remove shrimp from marinade and place in a separate bowl. Pour remaining marinade into a small pan and place on the stove or directly on the grill. Bring the marinade to a simmer and reduce it until it thickens, about 5 minutes.Set aside, this is your dipping sauce.Now place your shrimp directly on a hot grill, soldier style, all in a row. Cook for 2 minutes per side. Remove from heat and serve immediatley with dipping sauce.

Serves 4 people. Enjoy!