Description
Grilled garlic butter prawns are juicy, succulent shell-on prawns marinated in Cajun spice and lemon pepper, then flame-grilled to smoky perfection and tossed in a rich, garlicky lemon-butter cream sauce. This crowd-pleasing main course is perfect for summer gatherings or whenever you want a restaurant-quality meal at home in under an hour.
Ingredients
Prawns
- 1.5 kg (3 lbs) shrimp or prawns, deveined, shell and head on
- 2 tbsp Cajun spice
- 1 tbsp lemon pepper
- 2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp olive oil
Garlic Butter Sauce
- 250 g (2 sticks) butter
- 10 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3–4 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp Cajun spice
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- 1/2 cup cream (heavy or whipping)
Instructions
- Prep the Prawns: If your prawns aren’t already deveined, use a sharp pair of kitchen scissors to make a long incision down the back of each prawn and carefully remove the dark vein. Rinse and pat dry.
- Season the Prawns: Place the cleaned prawns in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Cajun spice, lemon pepper, and salt. Use your hands or a spoon to mix well, ensuring every prawn is evenly coated with the marinade.
- Prepare the Garlic Butter Sauce: In a large pot (big enough to hold all the prawns later), melt the butter over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic, fresh lemon juice, Cajun spice, and chili flakes. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant. Pour in the cream and bring to a gentle simmer; cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. The sauce should be strongly lemony and well-seasoned—it will mellow once the prawns are added.
- Preheat the Grill: While the sauce simmers, preheat your outdoor grill, braai, barbecue, or a large griddle pan over high heat for 10–15 minutes to get it hot and smoky.
- Grill the Prawns: Place the marinated prawns on the grill. Cook for 2–3 minutes per side, turning once, until the shells are coral/orange and the flesh is opaque. As each batch finishes, transfer the prawns to the pot with the garlic butter sauce.
- Toss in Sauce and Serve: Once all the prawns are grilled and in the pot, toss well to coat every prawn in the sauce. Serve immediately over rice, with crusty bread, and extra lemon wedges for squeezing.
Notes
- For extra flavor, grill the prawns over charcoal or wood fire; the smoky aroma is unbeatable.
- If fresh prawns aren’t available, you can use frozen (thawed) ones—just be sure to dry them well before marinating.
- The sauce is intentionally bold; it balances out perfectly with the subtle taste of the prawns.
- Serve leftovers cold with a fresh green salad or gently rewarm in a pan over low heat.
- For a lighter version, you can reduce the butter slightly and omit the cream if desired.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main-course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American, Portuguese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe
- Calories: 399 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 1662 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 245 mg
