I’m finally revealing my secret recipe for award-winning ancho glazed bacon wrapped shrimp. It’s so good BBQ judges gave it a perfect score!
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Why is this bacon wrapped shrimp so special?
Simple. This recipe took first place with a perfect score at a BBQ competition in California.
When I’m creating recipes for competitions, I always want to tease the judges with flavors that make their mouths’ happy. This usually involves a combination of something sweet, salty, creamy, mildly spicy and a bite with texture.
This bacon wrapped shrimp is glazed in an ancho sauce that is both sweet and spicy. And the bacon adds the perfect amount of crisp and salt.
I used tequila in the sauce when I cooked in a tequila competition, and I used whiskey in the sauce when I cooked this dish at the Jack. Both taste great!
Once I place it in a small dish with some ranch dressing, the creaminess cuts the heat and ties it all together.
But you don’t have to enter for a BBQ competition to make this. This dish makes a great appetizer or protein to go in tacos or on salads.
Ingredients
- Raw Shrimp: Look for large shrimp that says 16-20 per pound on the packaging. This size works great. If you go smaller, the shrimp will cook before the bacon. Save time and buy peeled, deveined shrimp. It’s up to you if you want to leave the tail on or off.
- Bacon: Use the original cut, not thick cut. Thick-cut bacon takes too long to cook.
Ancho Whiskey Glaze Ingredients
- Brown Sugar: I always use dark brown sugar because it has more richness.
- Whiskey: I prefer Gentleman Jack because it’s smoother than other whiskeys.
- Salted Butter: Use real butter, not the spread.
- Ancho Powder: This is the key to the flavor.
- Garlic Salt: This is different than garlic powder. It has the salt already mixed in.
Substitutions: Instead of whiskey, you can also make this with tequila. You can substitute the ancho powder with chili powder.
See the full recipe card below for servings and a full list of ingredients.
How to cook the bacon wrapped shrimp
Heat your grill to around 400F degrees with a direct heat zone.
- STEP ONE: Cut each bacon strip in half. You’ll need a half a piece of bacon for each shrimp.
- STEP TWO: Wrap a piece of bacon around a shrimp. Secure with a toothpick.
- STEP THREE: Combine the glaze ingredients in a small pot. Place the pot on the grill or stove top over medium heat. Bring it to a simmer and keep it warm.
- STEP FOUR: Place the wrapped shrimp on the grill. Cook for 4 minutes. Then, flip and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
- STEP FIVE: Brush the ancho glaze on each piece of shrimp. Cook for 2-3 more minutes. Then, flip. Glaze again and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
- STEP SIX: Remove the shrimp from the grill and remove the toothpicks as soon as the shrimp are cool enough to handle.
How to serve bacon wrapped shrimp
To serve these bacon wrapped shrimp as a quick snack, pile them into a bowl and garnish with some green onion. Serve the extra glaze in a small bowl as dipping sauce.
To enter these in a cooking competition, add a little ranch dressing in the bottom of a dish or mini skillet. Replace the original toothpick with a more decorative toothpick.
Place the shrimp on top of the dressing and garnish with green onions.
Storage
Store this leftover shrimp recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. They can be enjoyed cold or reheated in the microwave or air fryer. Just be mindful, if you do reheat them, they may end up overcooked.
GCG Pro Pitmaster Tips
- Don’t use thick-cut bacon; it will take too long to cook through.
- Use half a slice of bacon per shrimp.
- Buy peeled deveined shrimp to save time.
- Remove the toothpicks as soon as you can so they don’t stick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ancho is a dried poblano chile pepper. When it’s ground up, it becomes a powder that adds great earthy flavor to dishes. It’s not very spicy.
To make these in advance, pre-wrap your shrimp and keep them in the refrigerator on a covered baking sheet. Make the glaze and store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
When you’re ready to cook the dish, reheat the glaze and grill according to the recipe instructions.
For crispy bacon, be sure to use original bacon, not thick cut. Also, look for shrimp that are at least 16-20 per pound. The larger shrimp take a little longer to cook, which allows more time for the bacon to get cooked through.
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Heat Grill: Heat your grill to 400F degrees with a direct heat zone.
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Prep: Peel and devein the shrimp, if it hasn’t been pre-done for you. Cut each strip of bacon in half.
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Wrap: Hold a piece of bacon on one end of the shrimp and then wrap the bacon around the shrimp to the other end. Secure with a toothpick.
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Make Glaze: Combine all of the glaze ingredients in a small sauce pot. Place the sauce pot on the grill or on the stove over medium heat. Bring the glaze to a simmer to reduce the sugar. Keep it warm.
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Grill: Place the bacon wrapped shrimp on the grill. Cook for 4 minutes. Flip. Cook for 2-3 more minutes.
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Glaze: Brush some of the glaze on each shrimp. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Flip. Glaze again and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
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Rest: Remove the shrimp from the grill. Once it’s cool enough to touch, remove the toothpicks.
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Serve: Place in a bowl and serve with leftover sauce and ranch dressing. (See above for how I serve it at BBQ competitions.)
For the glaze, you can use whiskey or tequila. I’ve won awards with both versions.
If you can’t find ancho powder, use chili powder.
If you don’t have garlic salt, use 1/4 teaspoon table salt and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder.
Calories: 88kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 3gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 200mgPotassium: 43mgFiber: 0.03gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 87IUVitamin C: 0.001mgCalcium: 11mgIron: 0.1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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