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Nina’s Tips & Techniques: Shellfish on the Grill

I love grilled shrimp. Is it best to grill them in or out of the shell?

You can do either! Cooking shrimp in the shell is sort of like cooking meat on the bone. The shells slow down cooking and add lots and lots of flavor. Just keep in mind that if you grill in the shell you will not get those nice charred grill lines on the flesh of the shrimp because you’ll have to peel the shrimp before eating them.

I feel like my grilled shrimp and scallops always come out like rubber. What am I doing wrong?

Rubbery shellfish is usually the result of overcooking. It is so easy to overcook things like shrimp and scallops because they are small and cook so quickly. Like other things we have learned about in this series, super high heat is your ticket to success. A hot grill will put nice black char lines on your product in a short amount of time. No more than one minute per side—if that—on these items.

I feel like my grilled shrimp and scallops always come out like rubber. What am I doing wrong?

Yes you can! Any type of heat – wet or dry – will cook and open a mollusk or bivalve. Just place your mussels or clams on the grill. They will open after a few minutes of cooking. Once they open they’re done. They will have a delicate texture and a lightly smoked flavor. Yum!