Ancho-Adobo Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp

a full platter of seasoned grilled shrimp wrapped in bacon

Ancho-Adobo Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp

Tender, sweet-heat-marinated jumbo shrimp wrapped in bacon and grilled to perfection. Ready in 30 minutes.

Course Main Course

Cuisine seafood

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 6

Total Time 21

Servings

Calories 255kcal

Author Amee

Ingredients

For the Sweet Heat Ancho-Adobo Spice Mix (yields 2 tbsp of spice mix):

1 tsp ancho chili powder
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper

For the grilled shrimp:

1 lb uncured bacon , slices cut in half- you'll have a few slices leftover
1 lb jumbo raw shrimp (tail-on) , thawed (if frozen), peeled and deveined (about 20-24 jumbo shrimp per lb)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
wooden toothpicks , soak in water for about 30 minutes prior to using

Instructions

Stir the spice ingredients together in a small bowl.
Cook the bacon slices using your preferred method until the fat begins to melt, but the strips are still flexible enough to wrap around the shrimp. I line a sheet pan with foil (or parchment) and bake the bacon at 375 degrees F for 12-14 minutes (for regular, not thick-cut bacon) until partially cooked. Check early since oven temps can vary.
Pat the shrimp dry, then toss the shrimp with the olive oil and seasoning blend. Cover and refrigerate to marinate while the bacon cooks.
Preheat your grill on high heat. Place a grill pan on the grates and spray it with olive oil. The grill pan needs to be HOT, so let it preheat for at least 10 minutes.
Wrap the bacon slices around each shrimp and secure the seam with a toothpick. Set the shrimp aside while you work through the entire batch. You may have a few pieces of bacon leftover.
Place the shrimp seam side down on the hot grill and cook until the bacon is crisp and the shrimp is pink and opaque (about 2 to 3 minutes per side). The shrimp should sizzle when they hit the pan. They cook quickly, so keep a close eye on them. Remove promptly from the grill and serve. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Notes

Use regular sliced bacon - Thick sliced bacon isn't as pliable and will need more time to cook.
Big shrimp are best - Save small shrimp for stir-frys. For smoking and grilling, use jumbo shrimp that are at least 3".
Adobo spice recommendation - I've used Adobo Ole' Spice Blend from Dangold's Gourmet Collection for smoked bacon-wrapped shrimp, among other things. It's a mixture of salt, paprika, pepper, onion, oregano, cumin, garlic, and chili powder. However, this one lacks the sweet heat I love in this recipe, but good if you want a store-bought option. You could always add a little brown sugar to it, or drizzle the finished grilled shrimp with a little hot honey. If you swap the spice blend, you'll need 2 tbsp of spice mix. Spiceology's Hot Honey Habanero spice mix is another good store-bought option.

*Macros are estimated using 1/2 slice of bacon per shrimp with 6 jumbo shrimp per serving. Most bags contain 24 jumbo shrimp. This amount can vary, so be sure to do your own calculations if you need exact nutrition amounts.

Nutrition