Grilled Memphis-Style BBQ Shrimp with Garlic Butter Sauce
Plump shrimp grilled with a spicy Memphis-style dry rub and served with a rich garlic butter sauce for a smoky, flavorful seafood dinner. This American-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs large shrimp, peeled and deveined, olive oil, smoked paprika for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 fresh garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 8, soaked in water for 30 minutes wooden skewers
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper to make a dry rub marinade. Add 1 lb peeled and deveined large shrimp and toss to coat evenly. Marinate for 15 minutes.
- Step 2: Preheat grill to medium-high heat (about 400°F). Thread shrimp onto 8 soaked wooden skewers, about 5-6 shrimp per skewer.
- Step 3: Grill shrimp skewers for 2-3 minutes per side until shrimp are pink and opaque with grill marks, being careful not to overcook.
- Step 4: Meanwhile, melt 4 tbsp unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
- Step 5: Remove from heat and stir in 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice and 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley.
- Step 6: Serve grilled shrimp skewers drizzled with hot garlic butter sauce alongside your choice of sides.









