Few things taste better on sunny summer days than meals fresh from the grill. With family reunions, weekend cookouts and other casual get-togethers likely on the calendar for the warmer months, now is the perfect time to fire up your grill to feed a crowd.

To take those meals with family and friends to the next level, look to a versatile protein like seafood as the focal point of the menu. Even if you don't consider yourself a grill master, Wild Caught Texas Shrimp are an easy, beginner-friendly option to test the waters.

Simply preheat your grill to medium-high heat and brush the grates with oil to prevent sticking. Then place marinated, peeled and deveined shrimp on the grill in a single layer and cook 3-4 minutes on each side, until they curl (but not all the way into an "o"), turn pink and the center is no longer translucent. These easy and flavorful Grilled Shrimp Skewers, made with a zesty marinade of garlic, Italian seasoning, lemon juice and paprika, are a perfect option for those quick weeknight dinners or summer cookouts.

Featuring fresh, sustainably harvested Wild Caught Texas Shrimp, you can feel good about serving your family seafood free from antibiotics and additives while also supporting local Texas shrimpers. Choosing domestic over imported shrimp - more than 90% of all shrimp eaten in the U.S. today is imported - means enjoying seafood that is responsibly sourced, meets strict U.S. environmental standards and helps sustain the Texas shrimping industry, which contributes about 5,000 jobs and $265 million annually to the state's gross domestic product.

"Asking for Wild Caught Texas Shrimp brings quality to your plate that's delivered with pride and shines a light on the people that make Texas seafood truly exceptional," Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said.

To bring the Gulf to your next gathering, turn up the heat with these Jalapeno Shrimp Poppers. Featuring Cajun-spiced cheese, topped with succulent shrimp and wrapped in savory bacon, they're a perfect crowd-pleasing appetizer or snack. Or serve up a Peruvian-inspired Texas Ceviche made with raw, fresh fish and shrimp that's marinated in lime juice, tropical fruit and red onion then topped with cilantro for care and quality in every bite.

Visit WildCaughtTXShrimp.com to find more cooking tips, a guide to restaurants and retailers, and fresh, flavorful and sustainable seafood recipes perfect for your next summer get-together.

Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Servings: 4

• 8 bamboo skewers
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound Large Wild Caught Texas Shrimp, peeled and deveined

1. Soak bamboo skewers in water 30-60 minutes to prevent burning on grill.
2. In large bowl, whisk olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt and pepper to make marinade.
3. Add shrimp and gently turn to coat. Marinate shrimp 15-30 minutes, but no longer.
4. Preheat grill to medium-high heat, about 15 minutes, or grill pan over medium-high heat 3-5 minutes.
5. While grill preheats, remove shrimp from marinade and thread onto skewers.
6. Grill shrimp skewers 2-3 minutes until shrimp is pink and opaque on bottom but still slightly translucent on top. Flip and cook 2-3 minutes, until opaque on other side.

Jalapeno Shrimp Poppers

Yield: 12 poppers

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, divided
• 6 large jalapenos, halved
• 12 jumbo Wild Caught Texas Shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 12 slices center-cut bacon

1. Preheat oven to 300 F and place wire rack on top of aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.
2. In medium bowl, mix softened cream cheese, Parmesan cheese and 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning.
3. Smear cream cheese into jalapeno halves. Top each with one shrimp, tail up. Wrap with one piece of bacon and secure with toothpick.
4. Place jalapenos on wire rack and bake 35 minutes, or until shrimp and bacon are cooked through.
   

Texas Ceviche

Servings: 2

• 1 cup pineapple
• 1 cup papaya
• 1 red onion
• cilantro
• 1/2 pound (about 16-20) Wild Caught Texas Shrimp
• 1/2 pound snapper
• 1/2 pound jumbo lump blue crab meat
• lime juice
• tortilla chips
  

1. Dice pineapple, papaya, red onion and cilantro into small chunks.
2. Rinse and prepare shrimp and snapper. Cut snapper and shrimp into bite-size chunks.
3. In large glass bowl, combine shrimp, crab, snapper and fruit mixture. Squeeze thin layer of lime juice over mixture.
4. Refrigerate dish for several hours, mixing every so often so flavors continue to mix and lime juice coats proteins.
5. Once fish and shrimp finish marinating in lime juice, transfer to serving dish.
6. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with tortilla chips.

 

Funded by a RESTORE Act Direct Component grant from the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury). The opinions, findings, recommendations and conclusions contained herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position of Treasury. References to specific individuals, agencies, companies, products or services should not be considered an endorsement by Treasury.

 

Sponsored by Wild Caught Texas Shrimp