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    Home > Recipes > Caribbean Recipes

    Grilled Jerk Shrimp with Coconut Rice

    Published: May 19, 2015 Β· Modified: Jan 30, 2022 by Shareba Β· This post contains affiliate links.

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    1 hour

    Escape to the Caribbean with this grilled jerk shrimp and coconut rice recipe!

    Grilled Jerk Shrimp and Coconut Rice | InSearchOfYummyness.com

    This post is sponsored by Grace Foods.

    As much as I love jerk chicken, it's not always practical for a weeknight meal. The meat needs to marinate for a while to really take on those bold flavours, and to be honest I'm not the greatest at planning my meals in advance. Luckily, these grilled jerk shrimp only need to marinate for about 30 minutes, and they're super easy to cook too. These turned out so tasty that I was eating them piping hot off the grill!

    What is Jerk?

    The word jerk refers to a traditional Jamaican method of seasoning and cooking meat, seafood and veggies. Jerk foods are usually grilled or cooked in an oven. A jerk seasoning paste, or sauce, usually contains an exotic blend of ingredients like scallions, onions, thyme, allspice, and super-hot Scotch bonnet peppers.

    Why is it called Jerk?

    According to Grace Foods, there are two possible theories:

    1st theory: it originates from the Peruvian word Charqui, used to describe jerked or dried meat. Over time this term evolved from Charqui to Jerky to Jerk.

    2nd theory: the name derives from the practice of jerking (poking) holes in the meat to fill with spices before cooking.

    Whatever the reason, all I know for sure is that this grilled jerk shrimp recipe is a winner.

    Jerk Shrimp on the BBQ | InSearchOfYummyness.com

    When I was creating this recipe, I wanted to add layers of flavours. In order to do this, I used two different kinds of Grace Foods jerk products: the Grace Jerk Marinade and the Grace Jerk BBQ Sauce.

    The marinade is great for seafood because it contains both orange and lime juices. Usually, you would marinate meat in this product for about an hour. However, I didn't want the acids from the fruit juices to start cooking my shrimp, so I only marinated them for about 30 minutes.

    The marinade also contains brown sugar, hot peppers, onions, Dijon mustard and cocoa powder (and more!), all of which create a rich spicy flavour that is really delicious.

    Grace Jerk Marinade and Jerk BBQ Sauce | InSearchOfYummyness.com

    After I grilled the shrimp for a couple of minutes per side, I brushed on a thin layer of the Jerk BBQ sauce. It's sweet and spicy, and has a strong clove flavour. I didn't want to overwhelm the sweetness of the shrimp, but I thought the BBQ sauce would add another layer of jerk flavour - and it did! Just don't be heavy-handed with it.

    Grilling Jerk Shrimp | InSearchOfYummyness.com

    I was surprised at how mild the grilled jerk shrimp tasted. The sauces are really strong if you taste them straight out of the bottles (which most people wouldn't do), but they mellow out in the cooking process. This is important to note, because I think a lot of people assume that jerk is always super hot and that's not true. The Grace Foods line of jerk products have a variety of seasonings that range from mild to hot, so if you don't like spicy food you can still enjoy the flavours of jerk.

    I still wanted a side dish that would balance out all of the spices of the jerk, so I asked my mom to help me make coconut rice. I've never made it before myself, but I knew the sweetness of the coconut cream would be really tasty with the jerk shrimp.

    Escape to the Caribbean with this grilled jerk shrimp and coconut rice recipe! Learn more at InSearchOfYummyness.com

    Grilled Jerk Shrimp with Coconut Rice

    The sweetness of the coconut rice helps to balance out the spicy flavour of the jerk shrimp. If you want a stronger spicy jerk flavour, let the shrimp marinate a little longer. 
    4.75 from 4 votes
    Created By: Shareba
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    PREPARATION TIME 30 mins
    COOK TIME 30 mins
    TOTAL TIME 1 hr
    COURSE Main Course
    CUISINE Caribbean
    SERVINGS 4
    CALORIES 767

    Ingredients

    For the Jerk Shrimp:

    • 680 gram raw shrimp, , tails on (21-25 per pound, which are large)
    • Β½ cup Grace Jerk Marinade
    • β…“ cup Grace Jerk BBQ Sauce
    • salt, , to taste
    • black pepper, , to taste

    For the Coconut Rice:

    • Β½ tablespoon coconut oil
    • 1 Β½ cups jasmine rice, , washed and drained
    • Β½ teaspoon thyme, , dried (use more if using fresh thyme)
    • Β½ teaspoon salt
    • Β½ teaspoon white sugar
    • 14 ounce coconut cream, , (1 can)
    • 2 Β½ cups water, , hot

    Instructions 

    To Make the Grilled Shrimp:

    • Add shrimp to a bowl with the jerk marinade. Leave in fridge for about 30 minutes to marinate.
    • Meanwhile, clean and oil your grill. If you're using a full-size barbecue pit, you may want to use tin foil or a grill basket to cook your shrimp, so they don't fall into the pit.
    • Heat your grill to medium heat, and add the BBQ sauce to a small bowl. You'll need this to glaze the shrimp as they barbecue.
    • Shake off excess marinade from the shrimp as you remove them from the bowl.
    • Use tongs to place the shrimp on the grill, and cook for 2-3 minutes per side. Then use a heat-proof silicone brush to apply the BBQ sauce to the shrimp.
    • Once the shrimp has become pink, and a bit curled, remove them from the heat.
    • Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
    • Serve immediately with coconut rice, or side dish of your choice.

    To Make the Coconut Rice:

    • In a pot, melt the coconut oil over medium-high heat.
    • Add the rice to the pot, and stir to coat grains with oil. Toast for about 3 minutes.
    • Add thyme, salt, sugar, coconut cream and water. Stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil
    • Place lid on the pot and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until all liquid is absorbed, about 8-10 minutes. 
    • Fluff cooked rice with a fork and serve warm

    Notes

    Tip: If you're going t0 make the coconut rice, be sure to do so BEFORE you start grilling your shrimp! 
    Please note that the nutritional information for this recipe is only an estimate, and has been calculated using a plugin. 

    Please read the blog post for detailed tips and explanations.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 767kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 32g | Cholesterol: 428mg | Sodium: 1626mg | Potassium: 538mg | Fiber: 3g | Vitamin C: 9.7mg | Calcium: 282mg | Iron: 6.4mg

    Nutrition Disclaimer: please note that the nutritional information for this recipe is only an estimate, and has been calculated using a plugin.

    Have you made this recipe?Please leave a review in the comments below!

    Disclosure:
    This post is sponsored by Grace Foods.
    I have been compensated both monetarily and with product for this post. 
    Please note that I only work with brands that I use at home and trust.
    This post contains Amazon affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

    More Caribbean Recipes

    • Trinidad Sweet Bread
    • Tuna Carpaccio with Lime
    • Trinidad Pelau with Chicken
    • Caribbean Sorrel Drink

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Julia (@Imagelicious)

      May 22, 2015 at 1:30 pm

      This looks delicious! I like the addition of coconut cream to the rice. I feel it will be perfect to bring some tropical flavour this summer

      Reply
      • Shareba Abdul

        May 22, 2015 at 2:35 pm

        Thanks Julia! The coconut cream adds so much flavour and creaminess to the rice, although you do need that tiny bit of sugar to make it taste right.

        Reply
    2. Anna (Hidden Ponies)

      May 22, 2015 at 1:32 pm

      I've never really thought about it before - "jerk" is a funny term for food πŸ™‚ Love the sound of these shrimp! It's getting hot where we live and the BBQ is getting into heavier rotation on the menu plans - need to add these!

      Reply
      • Shareba Abdul

        May 22, 2015 at 2:36 pm

        I know, it's so weird when you think about it πŸ˜› If you do try making this recipe, let me know if you like it!

        Reply
    3. Teresa

      May 22, 2015 at 1:32 pm

      This sounds delicious. I especially like the way you adapted the marinade and sauce to the result you were looking for with the shrimp. I think people often use a one-size-fits-all approach to bottled products, which doesn't let you make the best of them. And thanks for sharing the coconut rice recipe, too - my partner will love that.

      Reply
      • Shareba Abdul

        May 22, 2015 at 2:37 pm

        It's true, sometimes it's best to get creative with bottled products to make it suit your tastes. I hope your partner enjoys the rice!

        Reply
    4. Lyndsay

      May 22, 2015 at 1:39 pm

      These shrimp look and sound amazing

      Reply
      • Shareba Abdul

        May 22, 2015 at 2:37 pm

        Thanks so much Lyndsay!

        Reply
    5. Sadaf Afshan

      May 22, 2015 at 1:44 pm

      My Indian taste buds love spicy food. The shrimps look awesome.

      Reply
      • Shareba Abdul

        May 22, 2015 at 2:38 pm

        Thanks Sadaf!

        Reply
    6. Chrissie (thebusybaker.ca)

      May 22, 2015 at 2:47 pm

      Your recipe for coconut rice looks great! I've never thought to add thyme to it. Will try this next time!!

      Reply
      • Shareba Abdul

        May 22, 2015 at 4:07 pm

        I thought thyme would be good in there, because my friend's dad makes a peas and rice dish with coconut milk and thyme and it's delicious!

        Reply
        • Robert

          April 25, 2020 at 10:05 am

          The thyme really goes well with the coconut milk, in Jamaica we prepare rice and peas with the combination of the coconut milk thyme and escellion and a little sugar, this is usually done on Sundays and for Christmas family dinners and goes well with your choice of meat ie. Fish, chicken, shrimp ect.

          Reply
          • Shareba

            April 25, 2020 at 12:34 pm

            Thanks Robert. I'm familiar with Jamaican rice and peas, but I've never successfully made it at home. My rice always seems too wet, and too white (when my Jamaican friends make it, it's more red). Not sure what I'm doing wrong!
            I've never added sugar though, that's good to know. Thanks for sharing your comment πŸ™‚

            Reply
            • Robert

              April 26, 2020 at 6:43 am

              5 stars
              Ok just maybe you are using too little red peas or one that does not give you the required red look also try not to add too much water to the rice and peas as the peas also adds a bit of moisture to rice and remember once the mixture starts simmer down all you need to do after is lower the flam and allow the rice and peas to finish by steaming with the Iid on.

              Reply
            • Robert

              April 26, 2020 at 6:46 am

              Ok just maybe you are using too little red peas or one that does not give you the required red look also try not to add too much water to the rice and peas as the peas also adds a bit of moisture to rice and remember once the mixture starts to simmer down all you need to do after is lower the flam and allow the rice and peas to finish by steaming with the Iid on.

              Reply
              • Shareba

                April 27, 2020 at 11:17 am

                Thanks for the tips! I'll try making it again and see how it goes πŸ˜€

    7. Amanda

      May 22, 2015 at 4:08 pm

      I have a bottle of the barbecue sauce in my fridge and shrimp in the freezer. All I need is the marinade and I whip up my own batch of this delicious looking shrimp!

      Reply
      • Shareba Abdul

        May 24, 2015 at 12:26 pm

        I hope you try the recipe Amanda! It would probably be yummy with just the BBQ sauce, but I really love the marinade too!

        Reply
    8. Laureen

      May 22, 2015 at 4:10 pm

      Oh my goodness, I think I would eat those straight off the grill too!

      Reply
      • Shareba Abdul

        May 24, 2015 at 12:26 pm

        Just don't be silly like me and burn your tongue on them πŸ˜›

        Reply
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