20 minute bourbon honey butter shrimp

Lazy weeknight meals for lazy folks like me.

Early September is usually a lull between the end of summer and the beginning of full-on fall; yes, this is an obvious temporal phenomenon, but I mean too in the ability to find a lot of the foods needed for truly autumnal recipes. Like today, I couldn’t locate apple cider for something I had planned for the weekend (even though Target’s site said it was “in stock.” I get it, I get it, maybe on the truck and not on the shelves).

So, it’s been a bit difficult for me to figure out what to make these past few days. When that happens, I draw back to basics, I simplify. I think of recipes that are easy to meal prep for the week ahead, can be et in diverse ways, with whatever I might yank from my pantry.

This 6-ingredient Bourbon Honey Butter Shrimp is a perfect skillet meal for nights where you’re cramming in dinner after a long, busy, exhausting day at work. Throw the shrimpies over a bed of rice, with some fresh avocado – I don’t know why this works so well, but it does – and lots of basil for a hearty, not too heavy meal that you can package up for work the next day, too.

What a rad way to use up a bag of shrimp that probably only had a couple days of life remaining before the fridge was about to smell real funky. Don’t worry, it was perfectly fine when I created this dish. I’m not that big a savage.

Butterfingers

Originally, I planned to make this with white wine, but I figured bourbon was a) yummier, since I heart cooking with bourbon, and b) more apropos for that cozy autumn feel we’re all seeking right now.

The bourbon sauce is simply bourbon (doi), lemon juice, and honey. I prefer fresh lemon juice, which takes about 1-2 lemons depending on the size.

Then, the shrimp. I buy the 13-15 count shrimp, which my brand dubs as “colossal.” They’re plump and juicy and perfect for these quick weeknight recipes. They also look better in photos than itsy bitsy teeny weeny blubs.

Dry out your shrimp really well with paper towels, and season with salt and pepper. Oh, be sure they’re peeled and deveined (tails off or on, either is fine and depends solely on your preference) and thawed.

Melt a couple spoonfuls of butter in the skillet, and saute the shrimp to give them a nice golden color. You may need to do this in batches to prevent overcrowding the pan.

Bourbon Bro

It’s rye’s time to shine.

If you cooked the shrimp in multiple batches, add it all back into the pan now. Toss in the rest of the butter and the garlic and cook until the garlic caramelizes.

Then, pour in the bourbon sauce. Let it ripple and bubble for a couple minutes to thicken slightly and coat the shrimps.

That’s all there is to it. The accompaniments are really up to you. I keep it pretty tame with steamed rice and some sliced avocado. Avo might sound weird, but perhaps the benign creaminess takes well to the bold sweet flavors of the shrimp sauce. I’d also do this with steamed broccoli, since I landed three bags on sale for SEVENTY FIVE CENTS a smack. What a time to be alive.

By the way: if you really don’t want to use bourbon, you can sub it out for broth. Maybe if you’re making a separate batch for the kids, since feeding children booze is illegal, I suppose. Otherwise, if you like bourbon, use it, and one that you enjoy for that matter. Maybe not the $100 limited edition bottle in your bar cabinet, but a good quality brand.

Take a shot for me, while you’re at it.

Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!

Shramp:

One Pan Baked Tomato Feta Shrimp

Grilled Hot Chile Shrimp Skewers with Avocado Ranch

Mango Serrano Shrimp Ceviche

20 Minute Spicy BBQ Shrimp Rice Bowls

One Skillet Lemon White Wine Shrimp and Orzo