Grilled Jerk Shrimp with Peach-Mango Slaw. Wild Argentinian colossal shrimp marinated in a 16-ingredient jerk sauce. Seared on the grill then served over rice with a refreshing and tangy slaw of local peaches, peppers, onions, cilantro, and mango, that has the perfect balance for the slow build of the jerk's heat.
I love jerk sauce and use it on a variety of proteins and vegetables. I prefer mine with extra spice, but the spice isn't what makes the dish, it is the balance of all the ingredients working together. It is the aroma, before and during the cooking process, along with the pure bliss it brings to the taste buds.
So last week, Elaine and I were out for dinner and ordered a jerk shrimp appetizer and it was insulting to associate jerk with the dish we were served. It should have been called Cinnamon Shrimp, because that was the only spice we could taste.
Hence the motivation to make a proper (by my humble standards) jerk shrimp dish. I admit that the ingredient list is lengthy, but it is the blend of these spices, each adding to the complex, aromatic flavour profile that is both spicy and savoury, with just a hint of sweetness that makes jerk so delicious.
Although this dish would be wonderful with any size shrimp, I strongly encourage you to try it with Marina Del Rey Foods Wild Argentinian Colossal Shrimp. These shrimp have a distinctive sweet, delicate flavour that truly sets them apart. The cold, clean waters off the coast of Argentina, contribute to the shrimp’s fresh taste, resulting in their rich, succulent flavour profile.
Ingredients
Jerk Sauce
The quantities in this image were for a double batch of sauce.
- Red onion
- Garlic clove
- Scotch bonnet pepper
- White vinegar
- Dried thyme
- Ground allspice
- Sugar
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Ground ginger
- Soy sauce
- Olive oil
- Orange juice
- Lime
Peach-Mango Slaw
- Mango
- Peach
- Red pepper
- Green pepper
- Breakfast radishes
- Red onion
- Cilantro
- Lemon dressing, see below
Lemon Dressing
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Lemon zest
- Honey
- Dijon mustard
- Italian parsley
- Fresh oregano
- Garlic clove
- Salt
- Black pepper
For Serving
- Rice
- Lime wedges
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Shrimp
Thaw shrimp as per instructions on packaging. Then peel the shells, leaving the tail on.
Note: The shrimp tail is left on only for visual effects and not to be eaten. You can remove the tails you prefer.
Tip: Freeze the shells in a zip lock bag for fish stock at a later date.
Jerk Sauce
In a blender add the onions, garlic, scotch bonnet pepper, vinegar, and blend to combine. Add the dry spices, soy sauce, olive oil, orange juice, lime juice and blend until mixed.
If you really like jerk, double the recipe and reserve half for dipping or drizzling over the rice (serve warm).
In a medium bowl, pour the sauce over the shrimp. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let marinade for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Lemon Dressing
Place all ingredients in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to combine.
Peach-Mango Slaw
Place all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and toss in the ¼ cup of the dressing.
Grill Shrimp
Preheat the grill to medium-high.
Thread the shrimp on the skewers, piercing through both ends so they do not spin. (3-4 per skewer depending on the size of the skewer using)
Cook the shrimp on the grill for 2-2½ minutes per side.
For Serving
Place a bed of rice in the middle of the bowl, then add the shrimp and slaw overtop the rice. Serve with extra lemon dressing, lime wedges and frosty cold beer.
Equipment
3 large 12" skewers (or more if your skewers are shorter) If using wooden skewers, soak in water for 1 hour prior to using.
Watch how this grilled jerk shrimp recipe was made here.
This Grilled Jerk Shrimp with Peach-Mango Slaw video was created in partnership with Marina Del Rey, however all opinions in this post are my own.
Related
Here are a few of my other favourite Jerk recipes you might also want to try!
Tried this recipe?
If you get the chance to try this recipe, please drop back and leave us a comment and rating. We would love to know what you think.
Cheers! James & Elaine
📖 Recipe
Grilled Jerk Shrimp with Peach-Mango Slaw
Equipment
- 3 large 12" skewers (or more if your skewers are shorter) If using wooden skewers, soak in water for 1 hour prior to using.
Ingredients
- 454 g Wild Caught Argentinian Colossal Shrimp 8/12 per 1 lb
Jerk Sauce
- ½ small red onion chopped
- 1 small garlic cloves chopped
- 1 sliced scotch bonnet pepper or ½ a pepper if you do not like it too spicy
- 1 ½ tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons orange juice
- Juice of quarter a lime
Peach-Mango Slaw
- ½ ripe still firm mango, julienned
- ½ ripe still firm peach, julienned
- ½ red pepper julienned
- ½ green pepper julienned
- 2 breakfast radishes julienned
- ½ a small red onion julienned
- 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup lemon dressing*
*Lemon dressing
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- zest of ½ lemon
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh Italian parsley chopped
- ½ teaspoon fresh oregano chopped
- 1 small garlic clove minced or pressed
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For serving
- 2 cups rice made as per package instructions (with peas optional)
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Shrimp: Thaw shrimp as per instructions on packaging. Then peel the shells, leaving the tail on.Note: The shrimp tail is left on only for visual effects and not to be eaten. You can remove the tails you prefer.Tip: Freeze the shells in a zip lock bag for fish stock at a later date.
- Jerk Sauce: In a blender add the onions, garlic, scotch bonnet pepper, vinegar, and blend to combine. Add the dry spices, soy sauce, olive oil, orange juice, lime juice and blend until mixed.
- If you really like jerk, double the recipe and reserve half for dipping or drizzling over the rice (serve warm).
- In a medium bowl, pour the sauce over the shrimp. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let marinade for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
- Lemon Dressing: Place all ingredients in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to combine.
- Peach-Mango Slaw: Place all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and toss in the ¼ cup of the dressing.
- Grill the Shrimp: Preheat the grill to medium-high.
- Thread the shrimp on the skewers, piercing through both ends so they do not spin. (3-4 per skewer depending on the size of the skewer using)
- Cook the shrimp on the grill for 2-2½ minutes per side.
- For Serving: Place a bed of rice in the middle of the bowl, then add the shrimp and slaw overtop the rice. Serve with extra lemon dressing, lime wedges and frosty cold beer.
This is such a great flavour combination!
Thanks Shanley!
The refreshing and tangy slaw was the perfect balance for the slow build of the jerk’s heat!
Have a great night!
Elaine & James
Incredible flavor! Can’t wait to make for our kids!
Hi Dina,
Thanks so much, we hope your kids enjoy them!
Have a great night!
Elaine & James