Shrimp Kabobs with Sausage, Potatoes and Corn
Why not throw a few of these zesty shrimp kabobs on your grill this summer? Succulent large shrimp are coated with butter and crab boil, then grilled with tender, spicy vegetables and sausage.
A good old-fashioned shrimp boil is a summertime favorite in the South. But it can also be a lot of work. These quick and easy shrimp kabobs have all the flavor of a classic shrimp boil without all the work.
Assemble the Ingredients
Before getting started, make sure you have the following ingredients on hand.
Zatarain’s liquid crab and shrimp boil – crab boil comes in both a liquid and a granulated (powdered) forms. Please keep in mind that one bottle of liquid does not equal one bag of powdered. The liquid is more concentrated and contains more heat. I kept the seasoning in the recipe a little on the milder side, since I have small children and I’m also a wimp when it comes to spicy food.
Can you substitute with Old Bay seasoning? Old Bay is also a seafood seasoning. However, it is not quite as spicy as Zatarain’s. The seasonings are also slightly different. Substituting Old Bay for Zatarain’s will produce a slightly different, milder flavor. I don’t know what the exact ratio would be for an adequate substitution, so you would need to figure this out with trial and error.
Kosher salt – kosher salt has a larger grain and is perfect for brining, or adding salt to a dish through soaking or boiling. It comes in a big box next to the canisters of regular table salt.
Small red potatoes – look for potatoes around the size of a golf ball. You want potatoes with a thin skin, low starch content and waxy texture that will hold up during cooking; therefore, traditional Russet potatoes are recommended. But other varieties such as Yukon Gold or yellow potatoes can also be used.
Sweet corn – fresh or frozen is acceptable. If using frozen, you’ll need to let it thaw enough that you can cut it into smaller sections.
Unsalted butter
Large shrimp – if using frozen shrimp, be sure to allow it to thaw first. I chose to peel and devein my shrimp first. It’s just a personal preference. You can leave the shells or tails on if desired.
Smoked sausage – I cut my smoked sausage into 1-inch sections.
Metal or wooden skewers – if using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water for 30 minutes prior to grilling to prevent them from burning.
Par Boil the Vegetables
The potatoes and corn take longer to cook than the shrimp. We will need to parboil, or partly cook the vegetables by boiling them, before skewering them. If you skip this step, you will either have hard, uncooked vegetables or rubbery, overcooked shrimp.
Start by filling a large stock pot with 2 1/2 quarts (10 cups) of water. Add two tablespoons of the crab boil and ¼ cup of salt. If you like more heat, feel free to add more crab boil. Bring the water to a boil.
While you are waiting for the water to boil, halve six red potatoes. If it’s a larger potato, you may need to cut into quarters. Once the water has come to a boil, add the red potatoes and cook for five minutes.
Next, we are going to add the corn. I cut two fresh ears of corn into smaller, two-inch sections before adding them to the boiling water. Cook for an additional five minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat. You can drain these immediately. However, for more spice, let the potatoes and corn soak in the water. The longer they soak, the spicier they will be. Allow the vegetables to cool enough that you can handle them.
Season the Shrimp
In a small saucepan over low heat, melt one stick of unsalted butter with the remaining teaspoon of salt and remaining teaspoon of crab boil. Once the butter is melted, remove the pan from the heat and toss the shrimp in the butter mixture to coat.
Assemble and Grill the Shrimp Kabobs
Thread the ingredients onto metal or wooden skewers that have been soaked in water. Alternate with corn, shrimp, sausage and potatoes.
Preheat a grill to medium high heat. Grill the kabobs for 3-4 minutes on each side until the vegetables are heated through and the shrimp is opaque.
Alternately, kabobs can be baked in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
More Kabob Recipes:
More Shrimp Recipes:
Shrimp Kabobs with Sausage, Potatoes and Corn
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon liquid shrimp boil, divided
- ¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon salt divided
- 6 small red potatoes cut into quarters
- 4 ears sweet corn cut into 1 1/2-inch sections
- 1 stick 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 pound large shrimp heads off
- 1 pound smoked sausage
- 8 metal or wooden skewers
Instructions
- Fill a large stock pot with 2 1/2 quarts (10 cups) of water. Add two tablespoons of the shrimp boil and ¼ cup of salt. Bring the water to a boil.
- Add the red potatoes and cook for five minutes.
- Add the corn to the pot and cook for an additional five minutes. For more spice, let the potatoes and corn soak in the water. The longer they soak, the spicier they will be. For less spicy kabobs, drain the potatoes and corn immediately. Allow the vegetables to cool until you are able to handle them.
- In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter with the remaining teaspoon of salt and remaining teaspoon of shrimp boil. Toss the shrimp in the butter mixture to coat.
- Alternate the corn, shrimp, sausage and potatoes onto metal or wooden skewers.
- Preheat a grill to medium high heat. Grill the kabobs for 3-4 minutes on each side until the vegetables are heated through and the shrimp is opaque.
- Alternately, kabobs can be baked in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
