Few cuisines are as beloved as barbecue. Barbecue aficionados will travel far and wide to try a new barbecue joint, but those who can handle a grill need not leave their properties to whip up a delicious meal. The following recipe for “Barbecued Shrimp” from Neal Corman’s “Virgil’s Barbecue Road Trip Cookbook” (St. Martin’s Press) is flavorful and simple, making it an ideal meal for barbecue fans who enjoy making their own meals.
Barbecued Shrimp
Ingredients: Serves 4
Garlic Barbecue Sauce
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 cup mild barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons Virgil’s Dry Rub (see below)
Shrimp
8 6-inch bamboo skewers
2 pounds fresh jumbo shrimp
1⁄2 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons Virgil’s Dry Rub (see below)
2 lemons, cut into wedges
Instructions:
1. In a small pot over medium-high heat, combine 1 tablespoon of butter and the garlic for the garlic sauce. Sauté the garlic for 1 minute, add the mild barbecue sauce and Virgil’s Dry Rub, and heat to a boil. Remove from the heat, whisk in the remaining butter, and set aside to use as needed.
2. Soak the skewers in water overnight.
3. Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Lay 4 shrimp out on a flat surface. Align them so that they are coiled with the tails on the same side, facing in the same direction.
4. Slide a skewer through the shrimp. Run another skewer through the shrimp, parallel to the first and about 1⁄2 inch apart. (This will prevent the shrimp from spinning on a skewer.) Repeat this process until all of the shrimp are skewered.
5. Brush one side of the shrimp on the skewers with olive oil, then dust with the dry rub. Flip the skewers over the repeat the process.
6. Place the seasoned skewered shrimp in a container, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
7. Preheat the grill to high heat.
8. Reduce to medium heat and position the skewers over direct heat. Grill for 2 minutes, then flip and grill for 1 to 2 minutes more.
9. Remove the skewers from the grill and brush each with 2 tablespoons of the garlic sauce. Serve with lemon wedges.
Virgil’s Dry Rub
Ingredients: Makes 5 to 51⁄2 cups
21⁄2 cups sweet paprika
1 cup granulated sugar
1⁄2 cup Texas-style chili powder
1⁄2 cup minced onion
1⁄2 cup granulated garlic
1⁄4 cup dried parsley flakes
6 tablespoons kosher salt
Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk together until completely incorporated. Transfer to a covered bowl with a tight-fitting lid. Store in a cool, dry place.
Pairing:
Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc
Oyster Bay — New Zealand
Some of us are old enough to recognize the headline to this piece as a homage to the television advertisements that featured Paul Hogan pitching trips to Australia before he became Mick Dundee.
Go ahead and read it again with an Aussie accent. You’re obligated to do so.
Jokes aside, this week’s choice of wine pays homage to Hogan and the New World. A sauvignon blanc from New Zealand seems all the more fitting to complement this dish.
Oyster Bay provides an earthy and herbal pour with a lemony aroma and hints of tropical fruits.
