Marianne Martinez
Grilled prawns are a delicious and simple dish that can be cooked in a variety of ways, with a range of seasonings and sauces. The most popular method involves grilling prawns with a garlic butter sauce, which can be made by melting butter in a pan and adding garlic and other seasonings. The prawns are then tossed in the sauce and served with lemon wedges and crusty bread. Other recipes include marinating the prawns in olive oil and seasonings, grilling them with lemon garlic butter, or serving them with a spicy garlic lemon butter sauce. Prawns can be grilled with or without their shells, and the size of the prawns will affect the cooking time, with smaller prawns taking less time to cook. Grilling prawns is a quick and easy way to impress your guests, and they can be served as a main dish or as part of a larger meal.
Characteristics and Values Table for Grilling Prawns in a Pan
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Prawns | Fresh, large, raw, green, jumbo, king, butterfly, spot, or frozen |
| Shells | Can be grilled with or without shells; shells provide better flavor |
| Skewers | Recommended for small prawns to prevent falling through grill grates |
| Grill | Outdoor grill, barbecue, gas BBQ, charcoal BBQ, electric grill, or grill pan |
| Temperature | Target internal temperature of 500°F |
| Grill Time | 2-3 minutes per side, until coral/orange in color, or opaque and white |
| Sauce | Garlic butter, lemon garlic butter, or herby garlic butter |
| Sides | Lemon wedges, rice, crusty bread, polenta, salad, corn on the cob |
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What You'll Learn
Choose the right prawns
Choosing the right prawns is essential for grilling them in a pan. Here are some factors to consider:
Freshness
Using fresh prawns is always preferable as it enhances the flavour and texture of the dish. Fresh prawns will be tender and juicy, whereas pre-cooked or frozen prawns can become chewy and rubbery when grilled. If you opt for frozen prawns, be sure to thaw them completely and drain any excess water.
Size
Larger prawns, such as jumbo or king prawns, are ideal for grilling. They provide a more substantial bite and are less likely to fall through the grill grates. Smaller prawns can be used, but they require extra care to ensure even cooking and can be threaded onto skewers to make them easier to manage.
Shell-on or Shelled
Grilling prawns with their shells on adds more flavour to the dish. The shells help retain moisture, resulting in juicier prawns. Additionally, the shells can catch the garlic butter, enhancing the overall taste experience. However, shelled prawns are also suitable for grilling, and some recipes specifically call for butterflied prawns, which involve slicing the prawns in half for a unique presentation and faster cooking.
Type
While the terms "prawn" and "shrimp" are often used interchangeably, they are scientifically different. Prawns tend to be larger, making them a popular choice for grilling. However, jumbo shrimp can also be used and will provide similar results. Ultimately, the type of prawn or shrimp you choose depends on your preference and availability.
Seasoning
Before grilling, it is essential to season the prawns adequately. This can include a variety of ingredients such as olive oil, seafood seasoning, paprika, chilli flakes, salt, pepper, and garlic granules or crushed garlic. The seasoning adds flavour and helps create a delicious crust on the prawns when grilled.
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Prepare the prawns
Firstly, you will need to decide whether to grill your prawns with or without their shells. Keeping the shells on can add flavour, as the garlic butter melts into the shell, and it helps to keep the prawns juicy and tender. However, removing the shells can make them easier to handle and serve, and they will cook more evenly. If you are using shell-on prawns, you can butterfly them by slicing them in half, lengthways, and then opening them out—this allows the flavour to permeate through the prawns and they will cook faster. If you are using shell-off prawns, you may want to skewer them on bamboo skewers to prevent them from falling through the grill grates.
Next, you will need to devein your prawns. Often, you can buy them with the shell on and already deveined, but if not, you will need to do this yourself to avoid the texture and grittiness that come from leaving the veins in. To do this, use a sharp pair of kitchen scissors to make a long incision down the length of the back of the prawn, then remove the vein.
Now, you will need to pat the prawns dry and add them to a mixing bowl. If you are using frozen prawns, make sure you thaw them completely and drain any excess water. Then, add your chosen seasoning to the bowl. You can use olive oil, paprika, chilli flakes, salt, pepper, garlic granules or crushed garlic, lemon pepper, lemon juice, cajun spice, and hot sauce. Toss the prawns well to ensure they are evenly coated. If you are using small prawns, consider skewering them at this stage, so that they don't fall through the grill grates and so that you can turn a whole row in one go. If you are using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes before using.
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Prepare the grill
To prepare the grill, you will need to decide whether to cook the prawns on an outdoor grill or a grill pan. If you are using a gas or charcoal barbecue, preheat the grill to a high heat, aiming for an internal temperature of 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a cast-iron or grill-safe saucepan on the grill grates to warm up alongside the barbecue. If you are using a grill pan, simply heat it up on the stove.
For the best flavour, it is recommended to grill prawns over a charcoal barbecue. However, if you are short on time, a gas barbecue or grill pan will also do the job. If you are grilling prawns with their shells on, it is recommended to skewer them on bamboo skewers to ensure even cooking and easier handling. Soak the bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes before using them.
If you are using frozen prawns, make sure they are completely thawed and drained of excess water. Pat the prawns dry before grilling to ensure they cook up nice and crispy. If you are using marinated prawns, shake off any excess liquid before placing them on the grill.
Before grilling, toss the prawns in a large bowl with olive oil and your choice of seasonings. You can use a simple mixture of salt and pepper, or get creative with spices like paprika, chilli flakes, lemon pepper, or Cajun spice. If you are grilling prawn tails, keep in mind that they will cook faster than whole prawns.
With your grill preheated and your prawns seasoned, you are now ready to start grilling! Place the prawns on the hot grill grates and let the cooking begin.
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Cook the prawns
Firstly, pat the prawns dry to ensure they cook up crispy. If you are using frozen prawns, make sure they are completely thawed and drained of excess water. If your prawns haven't been deveined, use a sharp pair of kitchen scissors to make a long incision down the length of the back, then remove the vein. Place the prawns in a large bowl and pour over olive oil. If using small prawns, consider skewering them on bamboo skewers so they don't fall through the grill and to ensure they cook evenly. If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes beforehand.
Next, season the prawns. Toss them in the bowl with your chosen seasonings to ensure they are evenly coated. Examples of seasonings include cajun spice, lemon pepper, and salt, paprika, chilli flakes, pepper, and garlic granules. You can also add lemon juice to the bowl, along with the olive oil and seasonings.
Now, it's time to grill the prawns. Place the prawns on the grill pan over direct heat and cook for 2-3 minutes. If grilling prawn tails, they will cook faster than whole prawns, so adjust the cooking time accordingly. The prawns will start to turn red. Flip the prawns and grill for another 2-3 minutes. If you are using an electric grill, cook the prawns for 2 minutes on each side. If your prawns are small, you may only need to cook them for 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side.
Finally, check if the prawns are cooked. The flesh should be firm, opaque, and white, and the prawns should no longer be translucent. If the prawns are butterfly prawns, sliced in half, they will look pink when cooked.
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Make a sauce
Grilled prawns are often served with a garlic butter sauce. To make this sauce, you will need butter, garlic, lemon juice, and spices. Melt the butter in a large pot or deep saucepan. Add the garlic, lemon juice, and spices to the melted butter. You can also add chopped herbs like parsley and dill to the sauce. It is important to note that the sauce should be a little too lemony and well-seasoned before adding the prawns, as the sauce will mellow once the prawns are added.
If you are using fresh garlic, it is best to finely chop it instead of using a mincer or garlic crusher, as the garlic will burn too quickly before the butter infuses with the garlic flavor. You want to have little crispy golden bits of garlic in the sauce.
Once the sauce is ready, toss the grilled prawns in the pot with the sauce and serve immediately. The prawns can be served on the shell with a drizzle of grilled lemon juice and a sprinkle of parsley.
You can also make a spicy garlic lemon butter sauce by seasoning the prawns with cajun spice, lemon pepper, and salt before grilling.
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Frequently asked questions
Depending on the size of the prawns, grilling prawns in a pan generally takes 4-6 minutes in total.
If your prawns haven't been deveined, use a sharp pair of kitchen scissors and make a long incision down the length of the back, then remove the vein. Rinse the tomalley. You can then slice them in half and butterfly them, or keep them whole. If you're using frozen prawns, make sure to thaw them completely and drain excess water.
Heat up a grill pan and work in batches to grill the prawns. Cook the prawns for 2 minutes on each side. You can also toss the prawns in olive oil, seafood seasoning, paprika, chilli flakes, salt, pepper and garlic granules before grilling.
