So, it seems like everyone makes bacon-wrapped everything! I can’t blame them. It’s good! You may have your own recipe, but I am sharing mine today. Really, it’s pretty simple, but the marinade truly makes a difference!
My inspiration for this particular dish happened many years ago. There was a local bar/grill that served as a meeting place for myself, my mom, and my brother once in awhile. Of course they served cold beer, and had pool tables and dart games, but we would frequently order what they called “Seahorses.” This served as our snack while we visited and caught up on each other’s day. These bacon-wrapped shrimp with jalapenos came to our table hot and sizzling. Now, I don’t know if it was the shrimp or the atmosphere that kept us coming back. But, I certainly look back on those moments with both fondness and usually a growling stomach. At any rate, I hope that you find the time to make these delicious morsels and make some fond memories of your own!
Marinated, Bacon-Wrapped Spicy Shrimp
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1/4 c lemon juice
- 1/4 c olive oil
- 1 Tbsp Chesapeake Bay Seasoning substitute your favorite seafood seasoning
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic jarred or fresh
The good stuff
- 12 oz shelled, cleaned raw medium shrimp
- 1 lb thick sliced smoked bacon cut in half
- 6-8 fresh jalapenos omit if desired
Instructions
First things, First
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Peel, de-vein, and rinse raw shrimp. After I do this I leave them in the strainer for just a few minutes so that the water will run out, and then press on top of shrimp with a paper towel to really get out all of the moisture. This way, the shrimp have room to suck up all of the flavors of the marinade. In a small bowl, whisk all four marinade ingredients together and then add your shrimp. Using your hands or a large spoon be sure to coat each of the shrimp in the marinade. Wrap tightly and place in fridge for four hours. If your pressed for time, 15 minutes will make a world of difference in this dish.
Let's get Wrapping
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Remove shrimp from refrigerator and set aside. Cut entire lb of bacon in half, doubling the number of slices to work with. Slice jalapenos into 1/4 inch rounds. Grab a handful of toothpicks and set up your work space. Use a small cookie sheet to hold your wrapped shrimp. The process, though tedious, is fairly simple. Lay down strip of bacon. On one end of strip, add one shrimp and place a jalapeno on top; roll up bacon and secure with a toothpick. Place finished roll on cookie sheet and continue until you run out of bacon. You should have approximately 40 half-slices of bacon, give or take dependent on your brand. No worries if your shrimp to bacon ratio is off. If I see that I will have extra shrimp, I add two to a roll. If you use all of your shrimp, wrap those last pieces of bacon up and put in the fridge for breakfast the next day.
Cook & try NOT to Eat step
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Preheat a pan on the stove to low-medium heat. A cast iron pan works great for this, although any pan will do. If using non-stick pan, be extra careful with the press. Yes, I use a bacon press for this step. It allows the bacon to cook faster and more evenly, and keeps your ingredients inside the roll as they cook. It's best to cook these in small batches, so have a paper towel-lined plate for the finished rolls to rest in while you finish the cooking process. I usually do about 6-8 rolls at a time, just enough that my press will cover. Place rolls seam side down on pan and place the press on top. The time for these is usually about 4-5 minutes per side. Flip once, place press on top again and then remove to paper towel-lined plate. Important!!! Everyone's stove heats differently so you may need to adjust cooking time, or heat level based on your kitchen gear. Do remember that items will continue to cook for a bit even when you remove to plate, so err on the side of caution when trying to get bacon well done.
