Have you ever noticed that some party appetizers seem to disappear more quickly than others? Bacon-wrapped shrimp is a prime example. If it’s on the table, it’s almost guaranteed that it’ll be the first appetizer to go.
These sweet and savory bites are just irresistible. Play around with the seasonings and dipping sauces for some variation. And, of course, you can’t go wrong with just dipping in clarified butter.
Ingredients for Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp
For this super simple yet very flavorful appetizer, you’ll need:- Center-cut bacon. This cut of bacon is thin and tends to have the least amount of fat, so it will get crispier than a thicker, fattier cut of bacon, which is what we’re looking for here.
- Large tail-on shrimp. The bigger the shrimp, the better you’ll be able to evenly wrap the bacon around it. This helps ensure that the bacon gets crispy throughout.
- Olive oil. It’s possible to use melted butter here, but olive oil tastes just as delicious and saves you the step (and extra mess) of having to melt the butter.
- Honey. Serves as the perfect sweet contrast to the salty, savory bacon.
- Spices. This recipe calls for a simple mix of kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder and paprika, which really takes this simple appetizer up a notch.
How Do I Keep the Bacon Crispy?
No one likes soggy bacon. To get the bacon extra crisp, give it a head-start by partially cooking it in the oven. Before you start wrapping the shrimp, pop your baking tray back into the oven to get it piping hot. The reason? When you place the bacon-wrapped shrimp on the baking sheet, it’ll get a nice sear on the bottom while the top gets crunchy under the broiler.How to Serve Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp
This party doesn’t stop at just an appetizer. Here are some other ways to enjoy these tasty bites.- As a salad topping.
- Alongside grilled steak for some surf and turf.
- Atop a creamy bowl of polenta or grits for a spectacular version of shrimp and grits.
- Mixed into a bowl of lemony pasta.
