Why bother to butterfly when shrimp already cook so fast? More surface area. And that means more of what you love about grilled shrimp. The quick searing time gives you an opportunity to use more sugar-heavy glazes which might otherwise risk burning over high heat. Don’t bother fussing with anything smaller than jumbo shrimp or you’ll go nuts. If you’re not a big fan of hot sauce, leave out the sriracha or go with something milder.
1. To prepare, start the coals or heat a gas grill for hot direct cooking. Make sure the grates are clean.
2. Whisk the miso, mirin, and sriracha together in a small bowl until smooth. Taste and add a little salt and pepper if you like.
3. Butterfly the shrimp (see below). Spread the butterflied shrimp out in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. (You can butterfly the shrimp and make the glaze up to several hours ahead and refrigerate until ready to grill.) Brush the shrimp with the glaze, then turn them all over and brush the other side.
4. Put the shrimp on the grill directly over the fire one at a time, flattening them quickly by hand or with tongs as you work. Close the lid and cook, turning once, until the shrimp are opaque all the way through and the glaze is browned, 2 to 4 minutes per side, depending on their size and how hot the fire is. Garnish with the scallion greens and serve.
BUTTERFLYING SHRIMP
1. Cut through the back of the shrimp with a small knife until you
almost cut all the way through—to the tail, if there is one.
2. If you’d like, remove the vein.
3. Holding the shrimp on either side, open it until it lies flat.
Variations:
Butterflied Shrimp with Ginger-Honey Glaze
Replace the miso, mirin, sriracha, and salt and pepper with ½ cup honey, 2 tablespoons
fresh lime juice, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1 inch peeled fresh ginger, cut into slices. Put in a blender and purée until smooth.
Butterflied Shrimp with Maple-Orange Glaze
Maple syrup and shrimp? Trust me, it works: Replace the miso, mirin, sriracha, and salt and pepper with ½ cup maple syrup, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon each orange juice and grated orange zest.
Sesame Shrimp
A take on Chinese sesame chicken: Replace the miso, mirin, sriracha, and salt and pepper with ¼ cup sugar, and 2 tablespoons each sesame oil, soy sauce, and dry sherry. Add 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger, and 1 clove garlic, minced. Omit the scallions—or not.
BUTTERFLIED SHRIMP WITH SPICY MISO GLAZE is excerpted from HOW TO GRILL EVERYTHING ©2018 by Mark Bittman. Photography © 2018 by Christina Holmes. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
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