Need Shrimp Smoking Advice

[tskeeter]

A friends wants smoked shrimp for his killer pesto pasta.  (The smoked turkey breast was outstanding!)  I need wood, smoke duration, and temp suggestions.  Which would work best, cold smoke or hot smoking?  What do I need to watch out for?  Your advice would really be appreciated.

[Habanero Smoker]

I tried fully smoking/roasting shrimp in the Bradley and was disappointed. The few times I've done it, the shrimp came out tough. Now I prepare the shrimp on skewers as I would before placing them on the grill (use what every recipe you like), place them in the Bradley for 40 minutes to an hour applying either alder or maple (or a combination of both). After the smoke has been applied, I spray them with olive oil, using my Misto Oil Sprayer, and transfer them to a hot grill, to finish cooking.

The main thing is to not over cook the shrimp. Since I only applying smoke with the Bradley, I keep the heating element off.

[KyNola]

Habs method would work very well for you.

I take a bit of a different approach.  As Habs pointed out, the hardest part is not overcooking the shrimp.  Here is what I do.  Preheat your Bradley to 200.  Peel the shrimp and brush them with olive oil.  I then sprinkle them with my favorite Cajun seasoning although something like Old Bay would work well too.  Into the smoker for an hour of smoke at 200. I use hickory because I use hickory on everything.  For a milder smoke you could consider alder. Check them in an hour to see if they are done to your liking.  If they are not, place back in the smoker and check every so often until they are done to your preference.

They are crazy good.

Hope this helps.

[Wildcat]

Both Habs and KyNola's methods sound great to me. Personally I would prefer to use garlic butter instead of olive oil with just a tad of salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

[Saber 4]

Now I'm going to have to go get some big shrimps......

[Wildcat]

Now I'm going to have to go get some big shrimps......

Same here. Sometimes I prepare shrimp on a griddle like the Japanese hibachi grills which both my wife and I love. We have a griddle attachment for our gas grill. Have not tried adding smoke to the mix but after seeing this thread I may have to give it a go. Shrimp get done very fast so how long to smoke will be the focal point here. Being relatively small, I do not think it would take long to get enough smoke on them.

[KyNola]

Both Habs and KyNola's methods sound great to me. Personally I would prefer to use garlic butter instead of olive oil with just a tad of salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

Another great choice WC!  I have done them in the butter before in the Bradley as well.  Both are equally good.

[Habanero Smoker]

I took a look at one of my recipes and I use 20 - 40 minutes of smoke. Then to a hot grill.

[tskeeter]

Thank you for all the input.  Now I can move forward confident that what I prepare will be outstanding.  Once again, the information you guys provide allows me to don the cape and mask of a smokehouse hero!   8)

[BAM1]

Wrap them in bacon.  Keeps flavor in and everything tastes better wrapped in bacon

[manxman]

Interesting thread, I take yet another approach.  :)

Boil the shell on prawns / shrimp (U.S meaning of prawn / shrimp seems to be the opposite of UK, shrimp means small to us, prawns means big!) in salted water for the minimum safe time possible until they turn pink. Remove and plunge into cold water to stop cooking process and pat dry.

Cold smoke in Bradley for 90 minutes - 2 hours after which time they can be eaten. The fact the shells have smoke on transfers to the meat when you peel with your fingers and eat! My favourite cold smoked prawns are with sweet chilli sauce.

Alternatively they can then be wrapped in some aluminium foil along with some olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic butter or whatever you fancy and placed on a hot grill... they soon heat through.

I have tried a few different ways and found this suits me the best.... or maybe we are just odd on this side of the pond!  ;)

[Smokeville]

Hi!

Check this thread....

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=22011.0

Regards, Rich

[fjp110]

I just started doing shrimp this summer and I am having great results.  Here is how I do them.

1 pound large raw shrimp, peel them. I take the tails off all the way.

Marinade them in this mix for 20 or 30 minutes:

3 tbsp oil
3 tbsp lemon or lime juice
1 1/2 Tbsp coarse black pepper (this makes them pretty spicy so you can tone this down some)
2 Tbsp sugar ( I really like brown over white)
1 1/2 TSP coarse, sea or kosher salt

Let them sit out at room temp till they set up like any other seafood. 
30 to 40 minutes with cherry between 180 and 200 F till they turn pink.  If you are worried about them over cooking check them at 20 minutes.  Just cut a  thick one in half to check.  The thicker they are the longer you need to cook them.  So when I do 16 - 20 per pound shrimp 30 minutes seems to be just right.  I also put them on a middle shelf not at the bottom or top.

Every batch I have done has been really good using this method. 

[pz]

Wrap them in bacon.  Keeps flavor in and everything tastes better wrapped in bacon

...or prosciutto - lets me smoke the shrimp relatively rare (sashimi grade only) with a tasty salty/porky/fatty/smoky wrapper