With the hot weather, I made this dish outside on the grill in my new cast iron pans. You can also make the same delicious dish in a large cast iron pan on the grill or in your oven. The flavors are out of this world; if you are a garlic lover, this will satisfy that lust! This amazing, simple dish can be prepared the day before; you only have to heat up the grill and cook for 25-30 minutes—more time to enjoy your family or company.
We eat seafood two times a week, always on the grill with a light rub of herbs or Mexican seasoning. This recipe has a delicious sauce that needs an iron skillet or, as I used, individual cast iron pans. The sauce is the star of this easy dish. I have used tiger shrimp and frozen pre-cooked shrimp. Both work well. This recipe is for two, but you can double it as needed.
I intend to try many variations with my new pans. I’ll change the protein to chicken, steak, squid, sausage, or veggies. I’ll change the sauce by changing the seasonings, like Mexican seasoning, and I’ll use cilantro instead of basil, then splash in some fresh sliced olives. There are endless ideas for using your cast iron pans outside on the grill and keeping the house cool!
For this yummy meal, you only need a huge salad and a lot of bread to soak up the sauce—like my Herb Chickpea rolls. Let’s get started!
Cast Iron Grilled Saucy Shrimp
easy
Ingredients
- Shrimp:
- 20 tiger shrimp
- 1 tsp of old bay or fish seasoning
- 1 tsp smokey paprika
- 2 Tbsp of lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp of olive oil
- 2 fresh diced garlic cloves
- Sauce:
- 10 cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup diced white onion
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp of diced fresh basil
- 1 tsp of diced red chili
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 Slice lemon rings
- Toppings:
- Diced parsley
- Grated pecorino or parmesan cheese
- Diced red Chilis
Directions
- Step 1 Wash, deshell, and devein the shrimp. Place them in a container with a lid. Add the fish seasoning, paprika, lemon juice, salt, olive oil, and garlic. Stir and mix the shrimp with the sauce. Cover and set in the fridge until ready to cook. 2-4 hours is great, but overnight is even better.
- Step 2 Wash and slice the tomatoes in half. Remove the seeds by squeezing the slices until the seeds pop out. Place the deseeded sliced tomatoes in a container with a lid. Add onion, garlic, seasoning, basil, red chili, salt, lemon juice, and olive oil. Stir until well combined and set the 2 sliced lemon rings on top. Set on the counter for 2-4 hours. Or place in the fridge if you are preparing for the next day.
- Step 3 When ready to cook this delicious meal, heat the grill to medium heat. If using a large cast iron pan, place all the marinated tomato sauce and lemon rings in the skillet. If using individual cast iron pans, divide the marinated tomato sauce evenly among the pans and a lemon slice for each pan. Set the baking pan(s) on the grill and close the lid. Cook for 15 minutes.
- Step 4 Drain the liquid from the shrimp container. The cast iron pans with the sauce should bubble hot after it has cooked for 15 minutes. Carefully add the drained shrimp to the pan or individual pans. Close the grill lid and cook for another 5-6 minutes. Flip the shrimp halfway through the cooking time. The shrimp should be pink and shaped like a C.
- Step 5 Remove from the grill and top with parsley and pecorino or parmesan cheese. If you dare, add a little more fresh red chilis!
I'm Melinda Stevens and living the life of a beach bum was inevitable since my father was a lifeguard for the city of Los Angeles. My memories of growing up on John Street in Manhattan Beach, California were filled with joy, excitement and adventures; until my world, as I knew it, fell apart when we moved to Del Mar, California. My father was offered the position as Captain of the lifeguards and we started the slow migration to the small deserted stretch of beach in 1963. At twelve years old, this seemed like the end of my life. Remember, I’m writing with clear hindsight now, ok somewhat clearer… Little did I know this would be the beginning of a new journey and give a bit more clarity to many of the events that led me to this new cooking adventure.