Gochujang shrimp skewers – Korean spicy grilled

Gochujang shrimp are my go-to move right now when I’m craving seafood but I don’t feel like working for a long time. To be honest, I’m really into Gochujang fever right now. Just last week the Korean Fried Chicken Wings were on the menu again, shortly before that our Gochujang Mayo with the burger, and now the shrimp. I just love that stuff.

For us it went like this: Theres wanted something quick for the barbecue evening, I still had a pack of shrimp skewers from them Beef bandits in the freezer. Three tablespoons of gochujang, a little Lime juice, sesame oil, Honeycomplete. An hour later the skewers were on the grill and the result was better than we thought. The sharpness doesn’t pop from the front, but comes slowly – and the honey keeps the whole thing sweet enough that even spicy skeptics can grab it. Even Theres, who can’t really be lured to the dinner table with shrimp, found them very good! If you usually have Gambas Pil Pil on the table, this will be your new summer classic.

Shrimp – As an exception, we use ready-made skewers because it’s quicker in everyday life. Peeled shrimp soak up the marinade better; with the peel on, they become more aromatic. Both work, the only important thing is: thawed and deveined. Tip: If you use them in their shells, I would marinate them for at least 3-4 hours.

Gochujang – The fermented Korean chili paste is the centerpiece. It tastes spicy, fruity and slightly sweet due to the rice starch. Caution: Levels of spiciness vary significantly depending on the brand. Check the packaging if you prefer it milder. Otherwise, just try the marinade and start with a smaller dosage.

Honey – Brings in the sweetness that counterbalances the Gochujang spiciness. A good flower honey or acacia honey works best.

Roasted sesame oil – Makes the crucial difference to normal vegetable oil. Just two teaspoons are enough for that deep, nutty aroma. Please be sure to use the roasted version, not the light sesame oil. This definitely applies here not: A lot helps a lot!

Lime – Fresh juice at the end of the marinade brightens things up. There’s sometimes a wedge left directly on the plate when the skewers are ready.

garlic and ginger – Both freshly grated. That makes a huge difference in this little marinade.

If you’re craving more Korean classics, check out our Bulgogi grill skewers.

The most important point first: Shrimp do not tolerate grilling for too long. Four minutes is enoughanything above that becomes rubbery. This is the reason why many people simply don’t like shrimp, they are usually cooked too long.

The other stumbling blocks come before the grill. Frozen shrimp are best defrosted slowly in the refrigerator, never hot. Then pat dry really well, otherwise the marinade will be watered down and will later burn instead of caramelizing. At the Marinating for one hour is enough fully. I wouldn’t go longer than two hours because the lime juice would start to “cook” the shrimp meat before grilling.

What makes our recipe better than the standard version: Most gochujang shrimp recipes end up in the pan and use soy sauce. We leave those out and put them on instead Honey plus toasted sesame oil. The result is less salty and more smoky-sweet. We also grill – this gives that light roasted note that often doesn’t really come out in the pan.

One last tip from practice: Preheat the grill properly, then place the skewers over direct heat. One to two minutes per side and you’re done. As soon as the shrimp turn from glassy to opaque pink, remove them from the grill.

Try the Gochujang shrimp skewers at your next barbecue evening, I promise you, the little pot of Gochujang in the fridge will be a permanent guest afterwards. If you need more Korean inspiration, take a look at our Korean Chicken Bao – another dish that we love making again and again.

If you try the recipe, we would love to hear about your experience. Feel free to tag us on Instagram at @gernekochen or leave a comment – ​​we really read everyone.