Grilling prawns - shell on or off?

[kcadams1980]

Hi all,

I'm doing grilled tandoori chicken on friday evening (I start the marinade tonight), and I thought that grilling a few indian-spiced prawns would be super delicious as well! I have some questions about execution though...

I know that you cannot marinate seafood for too long (especially in a tandoori marinade that has yogurt, lime juice, etc) or it loses its texture. Would you marinate these prawns at all, just for a shorter time? Could I use the same marinade I will already have made for the chicken?

Also, I don't have a lot of experience grilling shellfish - would you leave the shells on to grill? My grill is charcoal, btw.

Thanks!

[sedimental]

I grill (lightning fast) with the shells off most of the time. I like to leave the tails on, but I remove the vein. The vein really grosses me out.

[Philly Ray]

My feeling is that if you marinate and then grill with the shell on, the marinade that is trapped between the shell and the shrimp will simply steam the shrimp instead of having the direct contact with the grill if you peel them before marinating and grilling.

[c oliver]

And your opinion is just as important as mine. My experience has not been that the shrimp aren't steamed at all. They come out of the shell with a bit of brown/crunch.

[c oliver]

Ooh, I'm SO sorry. I meant that YOUR opinion wasn't unimportant. Funny how interpretations get off track. Stick with us and your insecurites will fade away.

[Philly Ray]

That's the problem with the Internets...sarcasm and subtlety are almost impossible to distinguish.

[wekick]

I like the grilled bits on the shrimp so shells off for me. I have the fire very hot and take off just before done.

[c oliver]

You can eat the shells or at least the tails.

[wekick]

Yes you can if you like them.

[c oliver]

I would NEVER grill shrimp with the shells off! They cook so dang fast anyway. My feeling is that the shell protects them and as stated above keep some of the marinade. I also have no problem removing shrimp shells with a knife and fork while I'm eating.

[Phurstluv]

Totally agree, C O. Although, I have grilled them without, the shells definitely protect the shellfish from overcooking & drying out. Especially a charcoal grill, which is a bit trickier to regulate the heat, than a gas grill.

[Rick]

I much prefer shell on, they seem to stay moister and the feet hold in some marinade that you can suck off before peeling.

[kcadams1980]

Thanks for the suggestions all! I think I will do a "modified" version of the regular marinade (might just do some oil with the tandoori spices) and go shells-off on the grill. I didn't even think about using the shells for a stock or sauce - good point!

[jboeke]

I did some experiments last summer on grilling prawns both in the shell and out. I determined that my husband and I couldn't taste a distinct enough difference for it to matter, so now I shell them before grilling simply to keep eating simpler (ie. no shelling at the table). They just tend to stick a lot so use a good amount of oil.

[arashall]

For the sticking problem, the best thing I've ever spent money on for grilling is disposable grill sheets. I get them at Lowes. About $6 for 2 in a pack. They are just thin aluminum with little round holes in them. Great for things that stick, and for small things that are harder to handle. They are supposed to be disposable, but I wash and re-use them if they aren't too messy. I've had every grill pan and tool imaginable, but these are what I really use the most. If you're the handy type, they could be an easy DIY project.

[todao]

I would not use the same marinade for the shell fish that I used for the chicken. Cross contamination is too great a risk.
Your prawns won't hold up longer than about five or ten minutes in that marinade without getting mushy so get them in and out and onto the grill quickly. They will cook fast, about one minute per side, so be careful not to overcook them.
You can grill the prawns with shells on (even with heads on it you like) but I would shell them and as previously suggested use the shells to prepare a sauce.

[katecm]

I'd set aside some marinade before putting the chicken in. They'll grill so quickly, I don't know if the bacteria from the chicken would have time to be killed. I'd give them 20 minutes or so to marinade, as it's really all they need. Take the shells off before you marinade and keep them for a stock (I do sometimes grill peel-and-eat shrimp in a packet, but that doesn't sound like what you're after). Depending on their size, they'll only take a few minutes to grill.