Cajun Beef Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Recipe in the Oven
These Bacon Wrapped Shrimp in the Oven come together in about 40 minutes with extra-jumbo shrimp, par-rendered beef bacon, and a garlicky Cajun butter. The shrimp wraps are baked at 400°F until the bacon is bronzed and the shrimp are just cooked through, then finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a brush of the buttery drippings from the bottom of the pan. Par-rendering the beef bacon first is the key technique: bacon takes longer to crisp than shrimp take to cook, so giving it a head start means perfectly tender shrimp inside crispy, smoky bacon every time. Served with homemade Cajun remoulade for dipping.
Servings: 4 - 6 as an appetizer, 2-3 as a main course
Calories: 441kcal
Ingredients
Shrimp & Bacon
- 8 to 10 ounces Godshall's beef bacon cut into quarters (halve lengthwise, then halve each piece widthwise for 4 quarter-pieces per strip)
- 1½ pounds colossal shrimp 8/12 per pound, peeled, deveined, tails on
- 1 tablespoon oil any neutral oil
- 1½ tablespoons Cajun seasoning or to taste, (use our homemade salt-free Cajun seasoning recipe or store-bought)
- Kosher salt depends on Cajun seasoning & type of salt, see notes
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest zest of 1 lemon
Cajun Butter Brush
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning or to taste, (use our homemade salt-free Cajun seasoning recipe or store-bought)
- 6 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 1½ teaspoons lemon zest zest of ½ lemon
- 1½ teaspoons lemon juice
Finish + Serve
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice for the finishing squeeze
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- 2 tablespoons green onions sliced
- Cajun remoulade & lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
Par-render the bacon
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut each strip of beef bacon in half lengthwise, then cut those halves in half widthwise so you have four quarter-pieces per strip. Try to cut so each piece has a bit of fat and a bit of lean meat, which helps every piece render evenly.8 to 10 ounces Godshall's beef bacon
- Arrange the bacon pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until the fat is fully rendered and translucent but the bacon is still pliable enough to wrap. Transfer to a plate to cool slightly while you prep the shrimp.
Season the shrimp
- Pat the shrimp completely dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with oil, then the Cajun seasoning, kosher salt, and lemon zest until evenly coated.1½ pounds colossal shrimp, 1 tablespoon oil, 1½ tablespoons Cajun seasoning, Kosher salt, 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Make the Cajun butter
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the melted butter, Cajun seasoning, garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Set aside.7 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, 6 cloves garlic, 1½ teaspoons lemon zest, 1½ teaspoons lemon juice
Wrap the shrimp
- Soak cocktail picks in water for 10 minutes while you work. Wrap each shrimp around the middle with one quarter-piece of par-rendered bacon, then secure with a soaked pick by pushing it through the bacon, the thickest part of the shrimp, and through the bacon on the other side. Arrange the wrapped shrimp on a clean wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet with a little space between each.
Brush, bake, broil, and finish
- Brush each wrapped shrimp generously with the Cajun butter, getting both the bacon and the exposed shrimp portions. Bake at 400°F for 7 to 8 minutes, until the shrimp is opaque and just cooked through.
- Broil on high for 60 to 90 seconds to crisp up the bacon. Watch closely, as it goes from gorgeous to scorched in seconds.
- Once the shrimp comes out of the oven, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top. Using a clean pastry brush (not the one used pre-bake), brush the shrimp with the buttery drippings from the bottom of the baking sheet.2 tablespoons lemon juice
Plate and serve
- Gently slide out the bamboo picks. The bacon stays wrapped on its own once cooked. Transfer the shrimp to a serving platter, sprinkle with chopped parsley and sliced green onions, and serve immediately with lemon wedges and a generous bowl of homemade Cajun remoulade for dipping.2 tablespoons parsley, 2 tablespoons green onions, Cajun remoulade & lemon wedges
Video
Notes
- Why par-rendering matters: Beef bacon takes longer to crisp than shrimp take to cook. Par-rendering for 5 to 7 minutes first gives the bacon a head start so it finishes crispy at the exact moment the shrimp is just tender. Don't skip this step.
- Shrimp size matters: This recipe is built around colossal or extra-jumbo shrimp (U-15 or 8/12 per pound). Smaller shrimp will be overcooked and rubbery before the bacon gets crispy, and the bacon pieces won't wrap evenly. If you can only find jumbo (16/20), they'll still work, just pull them on the earlier end of the timing.
- About the Cajun seasoning: We use our homemade Cajun seasoning which is salt-free, so the recipe adds kosher salt separately. If you're using a store-bought blend (which is almost always pre-salted), cut the Cajun seasoning down to 1 to 1½ teaspoons per pound and skip the added kosher salt entirely. Taste and adjust from there.
- A note on salt: We use Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 1 teaspoon per pound of protein. If you're using Morton's or table salt, cut the amount in half since they're saltier by volume.
- Don't skip the drippings finish! Those drippings have picked up the rendered bacon fat, Cajun seasoning, and roasting juices, and they're where so much of the flavor lives. Use a clean, fresh pastry brush though, since the brush used pre-bake touched raw shrimp.
- Make ahead: The bacon can be par-rendered up to 1 day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The Cajun butter brush can be made a few hours ahead, just rewarm briefly to re-melt before using.
- Storage: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or briefly under the broiler to re-crisp the bacon. The shrimp will firm up slightly on reheating, so these are genuinely at their best fresh.
Nutrition
Calories: 441kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 307mg | Sodium: 1431mg | Potassium: 481mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 3274IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 2mg