Meats like steak and chicken might be the go-tos when it comes to grilling (we totally get that), but we’re also crazy about grilling our seafood. Take shrimp, for instance. It’ll get wonderfully smoky after some time on the grill. For a flavorful lettuce wrap, marinate shrimp with oil, chiles, lemongrass, and ginger and grill on a plancha or cast-iron grill pan. Or try gambas al ajillo, shrimp cooked in olive oil with chiles and garlic. And we’ll never, ever say no to some grilled lobster. When you split a lobster in half, you can grill it using a two-step process—starting it shell-up gives it a nice char, while flipping it over onto the shell lets you finish the cooking gently. Spreading on a compound butter between the steps lets the butter melt down into the lobster, infusing it with flavor. Try it with compound butter made with either cilantro and chiles or garlic and parsley.
Find these dishes and more in our collection of our favorite grilled shrimp and shellfish recipes.
“You can grill any oyster you’d eat raw,” says John Finger of California’s Hog Island Oyster Co., “but bigger is better, since the longer they cook, the more they shrink.” Rules of thumb: Opt for Pacific over Eastern, and look for 4–5-inch shell size. Have your fishmonger shuck one before you buy; the meat should almost fill the shell.
Besides salt, you can use seaweed or sand to form a bed for any shellfish on the half shell. For a rustic, low-country feel, pile your fish into a multi-tiered galvanized metal server like this one by Benzara. Get the recipe for Grilled Seafood Tower »
Iceberg lettuce leaves make great vessels for eating marinated grilled shrimp as a hand-held appetizer. For added kick, drizzle with sweet chile sauce.
Spot prawns are so sweet and tasty on their own that they only need a simple sauce, making this finger lime dressing a delightful accompaniment. Guests will be licking the shells and their fingers to get more citrusy crunch and pop from the “lime caviar,” and that’s what you want.
