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Shrimp and sausage skewers are summertime surf and turf…quick and easy grilling for hot, sultry days.
Surf and turf. What does your mind conjure up when you hear those words?
Is it filet mignon and lobster tail? NY strip and king crab? Well, as much as I love my kids (and as much as they would love a juicy steak paired with buttery lobster on a Tuesday), that’s just not in the cards for an everyday meal. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have our very own version of, shall we call it, a realistic surf and turf.
Today we’re serving our surf and turf skewered. Brined and marinated shrimp are threaded with onion, chunks of sausage and sweet bell peppers. The skewers are packed with flavor; the zesty marinade is seasoned with cumin, smoked paprika, fresh herbs, and garlic. You can use your favorite flavor of sausage in this recipe, andouille or kielbasa both work well here. My boys prefer the smokiness of kielbasa to the creole spiced andouille, but why not mix it up to suit your tastes?
Tips for Flavorful Shrimp and Sausage Skewers
- Make sure you use a sausage that is fully cooked. The shrimp cook in a matter of minutes so you don’t have the luxury of using an uncooked sausage as the cooking times won’t match up. You would either be left with burnt, rubbery shrimp or uncooked sausage and no one wants either of those.
- Use uniform pieces of pepper and onion so they can cook and caramelize in minutes.
- I’ve waxed poetic about the benefit of a dry brine before and I’ll do it again! Uncooked shrimp are tossed with a couple tablespoons of salt and sugar about an hour or so before grilling. This yields extra tender and tasty shrimp that can stand up to the high heat of the grill. Just be sure to rinse the shrimp very well before popping them into the marinade.
- Thread those shrimp in a “C” on the skewer so they don’t dangle and get stuck in the grates.
- Medium – high heat and a quick cooking time yield the best results. Tender shrimp, sausage and vegetables, with just the right amount of char!
So delicious, so easy and good enough for company or a simple weeknight dinner. Looking for another easy summer skewer? Be sure to try my margarita grilled shrimp. Have the best weekend!
Shrimp and sausage skewers are summertime surf and turf...quick and easy grilling for hot, sultry days.
- 2 lbs shrimp, tail-on, peeled, and deveined (about 16-20 per lb)
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced
- 1 Tbsp fresh chives, minced
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest, grated
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- marinated shrimp
- 2 lbs sausage, fully cooked (kielbasa or andouille)
- 2 sweet bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces (red, yellow or orange)
- 1 large onion, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
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Stir together the sugar and salt, add the shrimp and toss well to coat. Refrigerate for 30 mins - 1 hour.
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Place the brined shrimp in a colander and rinse very well with cold water.
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Whisk together all of the ingredients and add the shrimp. Cover, refrigerate and marinate the shrimp for 30 mins - 1 hr.
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Heat the grill to med/high heat.
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Thread alternating pieces of shrimp, sausage, peppers and onion on skewers. It's easiest if you skewer the shrimp through the head and tail forming a "c" so they don't fall through the grill.
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Grill, turning once, until shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 6 mins.
Special Equipment: Metal skewers for grilling
Jeff says
This recipe was awesome! Thank you for sharing it. I followed it exactly, and used andouille sausage. Ir was easy to prepare, and delicious. I will definitely make it again.
Cathy Roma says
SO glad you enjoyed the recipe Jeff. Love andouille!!