It is hard to top the flavor of grilled shrimp, unless you add bacon that is. Bacon just seems to make everything a bit better, and wrapping shrimp with it is no exception. The combination of salty bacon with the crisp clean texture of shrimp results in a mouth-watering delight. Served on a bed of mixed greens tossed with an Asian dressing, these “nuggets of love” make this salad a winner.
- 1 pound raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 pound bacon cut in half or thirds
- 1 medium onion cut into large pieces
- jalapeno slivered (optional)
- 6 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 3/4 cup oil
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
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Begin by deveining and peeling the shrimp. I find that shrimp are easiest to peel while still slightly frozen, but make sure they are completely thawed before grilling.
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Place bacon in a large pan over medium heat. Cook bacon for about 5 minutes per side to cook half way. This will let the bacon crisp on the grill without over-cooking the shrimp.
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Cut bacon strips on half or in thirds depending on the size of your shrimp. Make sure the bacon strips are long enough to completely wrap around the shrimp, overlapping just to skewer.
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Hold a sliver of jalapeno against the shrimp and wrap with bacon, place on skewer. Slide a piece of onion on to the skewer and then repeat with another shrimp. The onion acts as a shield and helps to keep the shrimp from overcooking while the bacon crisps.
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Once you have filled the skewer with the shrimp, slide a second skewer through parallel to the first. This will keeps the shrimp from spinning on the skewer.
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Grill over medium heat until shrimp turn white and the bacon is crisp. Be sure to watch the shrimp closely, turning them when needed to avoid overcooking.
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Whisk all ingredients together and toss with salad or shrimp.
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Serve the shrimp over a bed of greens tossed with Asian dressing, or frill pick them for a bite size appetizer.
I used meduim 21 – 25 ct shrimp. I would suggest nothing smaller for wrapping.
Remember with shrimp the smaller the numbers, the bigger the shrimp. The count is how many per pound.
