hot honey bbq shrimp bowls
A little bit of spice is niiiiiiice.
I really hope you read that in a Borat voice because that was my intent and purpose. If not, well, fuck you.
I’m presently munching on too many barbecue Lays potato chips while writing this Hot Honey BBQ Shrimp Bowl shindig. So much barbecue in one place. Now I should probably put the chips up though because I’m getting a little too deep into the bag…
Anywho. A lot of days now, if I feel like cooking at all (I often don’t), I find grilling quite satisfying. Owning a cast iron grill pan is mighty useful in moods as such, and in the weather we’re experiencing now: mid 90s, heat indices over 105, and dew points shimmering around 76-78. DO YOU PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO LIVE IN FLORIDA?!
So, grilling shrimp is now one of my favorite things. Don’t have a particular far-spanning anecdote about the inspiration behind this recipe. I had no fucking idea what to cook and reverted back to a thing I enjoy, and that’s whipping out the grill pan and letting it work its magic. I guess I contribute a little to the magic as well.
Spicy, sweet shrimp and juicy asparagus lumped over lots of rice and drizzled with even more homemade hot honey. A fab dinner and an even fabber meal prep. Lezz goooooo.
Hot Hot Hot
Honey.
My hot honey has popped up in a few different recipes, and it’s one of my favorite cop-out condiments (like Caesar anything) when I’m stumped for recipes.
All you need to do is microwave some honey, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder in a heatproof jar or bowl for about 1 minute. Stir everything around to dissolve the granules, and boom. You’re done.
On The Barbie
Next, we’re cooking up some shrimps and some asparagus. I know asparagus isn’t *quite* in season anymore, but I haven’t enjoyed some (and the resulting stench from you-know-where) in awhile and it felt like the right accompaniment.
First, make sure your shrimps are thawed, peeled, and deveined. Toss them in a bowl and pat very dry with paper towels. I tend to leave the tails on, but you can remove them if you wish. I often buy the 16-20/lb shrimp, but the U15 would be my second choice. I like big shrimp and I cannot lie. That’s a bit of an oxymoron, isn’t it?
My BBQ seasoning is pretty straightforward and always effective with shrimps: brown sugar, smoked paprika, oregano, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and some salt and pepper. Throw all this shit over the shrimp and toss to combine. Then, thread your shrimpies onto skewers. I cut my skewers down to fit the pan so I get 4-5 shrimp on each, but if you have a big pan and know how to use it, you probably won’t need to send wood chunks flying with your scissors.
Lightly oil your grill pan or grill grates. Working in batches as needed, cook the shrimp 2-3 minutes per side until opaque and nicely charred.
Once the shrimps are done, trim your asparagus down, toss with a little salt, pepper, and olive oil, and grill these babies up. 6-8 minutes total should do. Again, you may need to work in batches to ensure even cookage.
Heat up some rice, or quinoa, or whatever, plop some shrimp and asparagus atop, and drizzle with as much hot honey as you please.
Good news: these bowls are fabulous meal prep. They store well for up to 5 days. I often have to remove the shrimp from the skewers to fit my containers, but otherwise it’s a breeze to put together a nice lunch for yourself.
Love me a 30ish minute recipe to tide me through the first few days of the week. Hope it brings you some eagerness for meal time! Though, if you’re like me, you basically live off excitement about your next nom.
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!
It’s getting hot (honey) in here:
Hot Honey Caprese Whipped Ricotta
Hot Honey Balsamic Glazed Chickpea Meatballs
Sheet Pan Hot Honey Ranch Shrimp Bowls
Sheet Pan Hot Honey Balsamic Salmon
hot honey bbq shrimp bowls
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb shrimp (16-20ct), peeled and deveined
- 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 lb asparagus, trimmed
- steamed rice, to serve
hot honey
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup hot sauce (I like Frank's)
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Instructions
- To make the hot honey: combine the honey, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat 1 minute on high. Stir to dissolve the granules.
- Pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels and place in a bowl. Toss with the brown sugar, smoked paprika, oregano, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Thread the shrimp onto skewers.
- Heat a grill pan, grill, or cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Grill the shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side until opaque and char marks appear. Work in batches as needed. Move to a plate.
- Toss the asparagus with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Working in batches as needed, place the asparagus on the grill. Cook 6-8 minutes, turning once halfway through, until softened and charred.
- Divide the shrimp and asparagus over bowls of rice. Drizzle with hot honey.
