This smoked shrimp recipe is so easy to prepare and the smoking time is so short (compared to most meats) that you will be enjoying this remarkable shrimp dish in no time.

The  skewered shrimp smokes so quickly that you can use it as an appetizer or starter dish to keep the hungry wolves at bay at your next backyard barbecue.

Want to save this recipe?
Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
smoked shrimp on skewers

Why Should I Try This Offset Smoker Skewered Shrimp Recipe

  • The best reason to try this smoked skewered shrimp recipe – The fusion of ocean briny shrimp essence merged with the piquant Old Bay seasoning and savory shrimp barbecue sauce, enhanced with the addition of gusto smoke, is a combination of mouthwatering and over-the-top flavors you really need to experience!
  • Very economical – For this recipe, we are using one skewer with 5 shrimp for one portion. I paid $9.99 per pound for 16/20 shrimp (see shrimp size guide below). I purchased 1.5 pounds of shrimp or 32 shrimp for $14.98 or roughly $.45 a shrimp. That’s $2.25 a serving. Let’s add $.50 more for the shrimp seasoning and shrimp barbecue sauce per serving, for a whopping total of $2.75 per serving. Are you kidding me?
  • Fun and so easy to prep – Can there be anything more fun than hand-rubbing shrimp with Old Bay seasoning, then skewering the shrimp on a wooden skewer and anticipating how delicious this recipe will be when you’re finished smoking? NO!
  • Easy to smoke – I know I’ve said this before, but this skewered shrimp recipe is literally super easy to smoke, mainly because it takes so little time to cook. Throw it on the grill and smoke away. In roughly 1 hour, it’s ready to eat. Easy Peezy!

Ingredients For Offset Smoker Skewered Shrimp

  • 5 large shell-on shrimp per skewer
  • 2 or 3 shakes of Old Bay seasoning, more if you like it spicier
  • 1 – 10” wooden skewer, soaked in water for 15 minutes

Ingredients for the shrimp barbecue sauce per skewer:

  • 1/8 cup sweet BBQ sauce of your choice
  • 1/8 cup butter
  • 1 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions For Making Offset Smoker Skewered Shrimp

1. Bring your offset smoker to temperature – You will want to maintain a temperature of roughly 250 degrees throughout the entire smoking process.

2. Prepare the shrimp – Place the shrimp in a large bowl and sprinkle with the Old Bay seasoning. With your hands, mix and work the seasoning onto the shrimp. Skewer the shrimp onto the wooden skewer. Place the shrimp on an oven wire rack.

smoked shrimp seasoning

3. Make the shrimp barbecue sauce – With a whisk, combine the shrimp barbecue sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a low simmer. Place the warm shrimp barbecue sauce in a small bowl.

smoked shrimp ingredients

4. Place the skewered shrimp on the wire rack onto your smoker –

Smoke the shrimp for a total smoking time of approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the intensity of your heat and the amount of your smoke. After 30 minutes, liberally brush the shrimp barbecue sauce on the shrimp, then flip the skewer over and brush again. Repeat this step one more time before the shrimp are finished smoking.

raw shrimp on grill grate

5. Remove the skewered shrimp from the offset smoker – Serve the shrimp on the skewer and let your guests pull the shrimp off the skewer for a fun and enjoyable dining experience. Be sure and have plenty of paper towels, as this will get messy. And have a bowl to throw the shrimp shells in too.

smoked shrimp on grill grate

Variations And Additions For Offset Smoker Skewered Shrimp

Shrimp size – Shrimp comes in many different sizes. Although there is no industry standard, shrimpers generally follow the same basic shrimp size chart. So, how do the numbers work? The number of shrimp is the amount of shrimp you would receive per pound. So, in this recipe, we used 16/20’s, so we bought 16 to 20 shrimp per pound. So, the smaller the number, the larger the shrimp size. A U10 would be under 10 shrimp per pound. Those are enormous shrimp! And you’re saying to yourself “Now I get it! Use any size shrimp you like or that you can get.

Shell on or shell off the shrimp – The choice is really yours. I like shrimp with the shell on because I think it adds more bold shrimpy flavor, and I don’t mind peeling the shell off. But if some of your family or guests don’t like peeling the shell off the shrimp – no problem! Simply use shrimp that has already been peeled and follow the same cooking directions. Just adjust your timing since the no-shell shrimp will take much less time to smoke.

Experiment with the shrimp seasoning – In this recipe, we use Old Bay seasoning, which is very traditional and goes so well with seafood (especially shrimp). Plus, I really like it. However, it is made in Maryland, not Louisiana. Here are two Louisiana seasonings, one Creole and one Cajun, that I often use and think you would enjoy. And they both pair very well with shrimp.

When is the shrimp ready to come off the offset smoker? The shrimp will be finished when there is no more “give” when you push it with your finger, and the tail looks cooked and charred. But the best way to tell if the shrimp is finished to your liking is to sample one. Oh, do I have to?

Tips And Tricks For Offset Smoker Skewered Shrimp

What is the shrimp portion amount per person? – Of course, you would never make just one 5 shrimp skewer per person when most likely one person can eat way more than five shrimp, so multiply the number of skewers you think each person will eat. Then multiply by 5 and you will know how much shrimp to buy for your crowd.

How much shrimp barbecue sauce should I use? – We made the4 ingredients easy to multiply. So however many shrimp you have, divide it by 5. Then multiply the shrimp barbecue sauce ingredients by that number. Of course (and this is a big of course!) be sure to make the shrimp barbecue sauce to YOUR liking. As you are mixing it, taste it and add or subtract any ingredient you like such as the hot sauce or Worcestershire sauce. I like a lot of both!

How to skewer the shrimp – The best way to secure the shrimp onto the skewer is to hold the body, then push the skewer through the tail section of the shrimp, fold the shrimp towards the tip of the skewer, and then run the skewer through the body. This will ensure that your shrimp will not fall off the skewer and will not dry out while smoking.

smoked shrimp ingredients on skewer

Using an 8” x 10” wire oven rack and a drip pan – Placing your skewered shrimp on the wire oven rack ensures that the shrimp will not sag into and between the grill grates, and it’s much easier to move the shrimp around and on and off the smoker. Placing an aluminum drip pan on the ash tray under the shrimp to catch the drippings will help when it comes to clean up. Just toss it away!

smoked shrimp on skewers
No ratings yet

Simple Smoked Shrimp

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour

Equipment

  • 1 Offset smoker
  • 1 10” wooden skewer
  • 1 Kitchen Brush
  • 1 Disposable Aluminum Pan
  • 1 Wire Oven Rack

Ingredients 

Ingredients For Offset Smoker Skewered Shrimp

  • 5 large shell-on shrimp per skewer
  • 2 or 3 shakes of Old Bay seasoning, more if you like it spicier
  • 1 – 10” wooden skewer, soaked in water for 15 minutes

Ingredients for the shrimp barbecue sauce per skewer

  • 1/8 cup sweet BBQ sauce of your choice
  • 1/8 cup butter
  • 1 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions 

  • Bring your offset smoker to temperature – You will want to maintain a temperature of roughly 250 degrees throughout the entire smoking process.
  • Prepare the shrimp – Place the shrimp in a large bowl and sprinkle with the Old Bay seasoning. With your hands, mix and work the seasoning onto the shrimp. Skewer the shrimp onto the wooden skewer. Place the shrimp on an oven wire rack.
  • Make the shrimp barbecue sauce – With a whisk, combine the shrimp barbecue sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a low simmer. Place the warm shrimp barbecue sauce in a small bowl.
  • Place the skewered shrimp on the wire rack onto your smoker – Smoke the shrimp for a total smoking time of approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the intensity of your heat and the amount of your smoke. After 30 minutes, liberally brush the shrimp barbecue sauce on the shrimp, then flip the skewer over and brush again. Repeat this step one more time before the shrimp are finished smoking.
  • Remove the skewered shrimp from the offset smoker – Serve the shrimp on the skewer and let your guests pull the shrimp off the skewer for a fun and enjoyable dining experience. Be sure and have plenty of paper towels, as this will get messy. And have a bowl to throw the shrimp shells in too.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 347kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 14gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 187mgSodium: 1301mgPotassium: 270mgFiber: 1gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 1033IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 99mgIron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: BBQ
Cuisine: Barbecue
Tried this recipe?Mention @drizzlemeskinny or tag #drizzlemeskinny!

EQUIPMENT LIST

Offset smoker

10” wooden skewers

Kitchen brush

Disposable aluminum pan

Wire oven racks

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

About Keith Morrison

Chef Keith has been a cook, restaurateur, and food writer for nearly 50 years. Since graduating of culinary school, Keith has completed classes at the world famous Le Cordon Bleu Paris, and has been a chef, manager, owner, consultant and recipe developer for dozens of restaurants and catering companies.

One of Keith's many cooking loves is BBQ in general and the Offset Smoker in particular. Keith has participated in competition BBQ for many years.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating