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Eight garlic butter shrimp skewers on a light wooden board with charred edges, parsley and lemon wedges.

Garlic Butter Shrimp Skewers: Ready in 25 Minutes Flat

These garlic butter shrimp skewers broil in under 10 minutes, so a platter of juicy, lightly charred New Year's Eve bites is ready before the party really starts. A quick garlic-lemon butter does the heavy lifting, with no marinade, breading or deep frying.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 23 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 lb shrimp 21-25 per pound, peeled and deveined, tails on
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 whole lemon zested, then juiced (about 2 tbsp)
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika sweet paprika works too
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes optional
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

Method
 

  1. Heat the broiler to high and set an oven rack 6 inches from the heat source. Line a large sheet pan with aluminum foil.
  2. Pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels. Thread onto 8 skewers, dividing them evenly (4 to 5 per skewer) and packing the shrimp snugly together; use metal skewers, or soak wooden skewers 30 minutes first.
  3. In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, 1 tbsp of the lemon juice, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes.
  4. Brush the skewers generously on both sides with about two-thirds of the butter mixture.
  5. Broil for 3 minutes, flip once, and broil 2 to 3 minutes more, until the shrimp are opaque and firm and an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part reads 145°F.
  6. Brush with the remaining butter, squeeze the last 1 tbsp lemon juice over the top, scatter with parsley and serve warm.