Crispy bacon meets juicy Extra-Jumbo shrimp and a caramelized brown sugar-bourbon glaze. These Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp are easy to make and will wow your guests every time!
Shrimp might just be one of my Top 10 favorite foods. Especially plump shrimp, bought fresh from the seafood market, cooked to order to juicy perfection. I’ve been known to eat them right out of the steamer with nothing more than a squeeze of lemon during the summer. So good.
Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp have always been a hit with my family and friends. Tender shrimp, crispy bacon, what’s not to love? I like to add a touch of sweetness to my bacon-wrapped shrimp recipe with a brown sugar-bourbon glaze. A little cracked black pepper on top of the caramelized glaze makes these shrimp the perfect sweet-salty-lightly-spicy combo.
I first made a platter of these Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp for friends during the holidays and they were gone in about 15 minutes. That’s usually the not-so-secret code for recipe success!
Shopping for Shrimp
For bacon-wrapped shrimp, I like to use 16/20’s (often called, “Extra Jumbo”). The shrimp photographed in this post were at the larger end of this spectrum, weighing in at 16 shrimp per pound. 16/20’s are nice and meaty and make an impressive presentation on a platter.
To learn more about shrimp counts and what to look for at the market, check out my Shrimp Sizes reference guide.
Should I Buy Shrimp with the Shells On?
For Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp, you’ll need cleaned and peeled raw shrimp with the tails on. I like to buy raw shell-on shrimp and clean and peel them at home. If you live near a fishmonger, you can ask him or her to devein the shrimp (removing the dark “vein” from the back of the shrimp, which is actually the digestive track) and peel the shells for you.
It’s easy to peel and devein shrimp at home! Just use a paring knife or kitchen shears to make a shallow cut along the back of the shrimp, in the middle, from the tip to where the tails begin. Then just lift out the vein and peel away the shells, leaving the tail on.
When shopping for shrimp, I like to make sure I’m buying those that are sustainable and ethically-sourced, with no chemical additives. My friend Sarah talks about these issues in depth on her blog, Champagne Tastes. Read more in her Ultimate Guide to Cooking Shrimp.
How to Make Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp
The trick to making really good bacon-wrapped shrimp is making sure that the shrimp don’t get overcooked in the time it takes the bacon to crisp. Raw shrimp only need a few minutes in a hot oven to turn opaque and tender, especially when the shells have been removed. When they’re cooked too long, shrimp can become tough, dry, and a bit rubbery.
The solution? Par-cook the bacon before wrapping the shrimp. That way, the bacon gets a head start in the cooking process. It can crisp up perfectly in the amount of time the raw shrimp need to cook through.
To secure the par-cooked bacon to the shrimp, all you need is a toothpick that has been soaked in water for 30 minutes or so before assembly. Soaking the toothpicks helps them not to char in the hot oven.
Brown Sugar Bourbon Glaze
One of my favorite ways to dress up bacon is with a brown sugar bourbon glaze. As the sugar in the glaze caramelizes in the oven, it creates a delicious glossy lacquer on the bacon.
It couldn’t be easier to make; the glaze is just dark brown sugar and bourbon stirred together. I often brush it onto slices of baked thick-cut bacon for a weekend breakfast or brunch.
When glazing bacon-wrapped shrimp, I like to apply it in two stages after the bacon has been par-cooked. I lightly-brush each wrapped shrimp with a little bit of the glaze and bake them for 5 minutes. Then, I give the shrimp a second coat of glaze and finish the baking process for another 5-8 minutes.
Served hot with a sprinkle of freshly-snipped chives, Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with Bourbon Glaze are perfect for Game Day parties, holiday entertaining, or anytime a craving for shrimp hits!
Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp with Bourbon Glaze
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp (16/20), deveined, shell removed, tail on
- 8 slices bacon
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar , lightly-packed
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- freshly-cracked black pepper
- snipped chives , for garnish
Instructions
- Soak 16-20 toothpicks in water for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and arrange bacon slices in a single layer. Bake 6-8 minutes, until fat is beginning to render but bacon is not yet crisp. Remove from oven, drain bacon on paper towels, and cut each slice in half. Carefully discard any remaining bacon fat on the pan.
- Lightly season shrimp with salt and pepper. Wrap one piece of bacon around each shrimp, overlapping ends and securing with a soaked toothpick.
- Place a wire cooling rack on the baking sheet and arrange wrapped shrimp in a single layer. In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar and bourbon until dissolved. Brush glaze onto the front and back of each bacon-wrapped shrimp.
- Bake shrimp for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, brush with a second layer of glaze, and season with freshly-cracked black pepper. Continue baking 5-8 minutes, until shrimp are pink and opaque, and bacon is crisp.
- Sprinkle with chives, if desired, and serve hot.
Nutrition Estimate
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
About our recipes
Please note that our recipes have been developed using the US Customary measurement system and have not been tested for high altitude/elevation cooking and baking.
I’ve been making this for a couple of years. My husband loves them and has requested them many times for special occasions. Great recipe!
I came upon this recipe the other day and thought that it sounded good so I tried making it for the Christmas festivities and what a delightful addition to Christmas Eve and they didn’t last long.
My guests loved these!
I’m so glad, Kathy! Happy New Year!
OMG…I am drooling at my computer screen right now. Bacon, shrimp and bourbon glaze. Printing this as we speak and will be making it over the 4th of July holiday. Thank you!
Omg- it never would have occurred to me to stick a soaked toothpick in BEFORE cooking! That’s so smart! I would’ve been trying to wrap everything after and wondering how to get it all to stay together LOL. And that bourbon glaze- YUM! No wonder they vanished right away- they sounds incredible!
Oh goodness, look at this crispy, salty, saucy goodness! Bacon-wrapped seafood has always been such a treat (and a huge deal when I was a little girl). The bourbon glaze sounds finger-lickin’ good. I’m not great with drinking bourbon, but in sauces, I can dig it!
When I saw this post first, I thought, oh, yummy but it’s just another bacon shrimp and then I read through your description and oh my! I have only one word – genius! Just absolutely genius! The par-baking of bacon is just the best.idea.ever!!!! And now that you mentioned it, it makes so much sense! And, of course, the photos are gorgeous. And I am dying over that brush!! Love it!
I can tell from the picture these are going to be a hit at my house. Everybody loves both shrimp and bacon. These look amazing, saving this, my husband and daughter would be so grateful if I made these. Just the smells would have them migrating to the kitchen!
This sounds absolutely amazing! Thank you for your tips. I am terrified to devein and now I will feel more confident trying it. Soaking the toothpicks is a great tip too. My family will crazy for these at our next gathering.
What a fabulous and easy appetizer! Like you said, what is not to like? crispy bacon, succulent shrimp and bourbon glaze sounds like a winning combination any day! Par-cooking the bacon is genius. I will be serving this to my guest this coming weekend.
I don’t know what got me excited more…BACON, BOURBON or SHRIMP!! All together….means AWESOME!! Love the sound of this recipe. It is going to be HOT HOT HOT here this weekend. Grilling will be happening, and this just might have to be dinner at some point over the long weekend.
I love your tip to parcook the bacon. It’s so simple, but so important to make the perfect skewers. I love it. I can’t wait to make these for the 4th of July!
I love bacon wrapped shrimp but I’ve never made it at home! I’m more of a baker than a cook so I appreciate it you breaking down the step by step of how to do this. I need to give it a try!
I love this Amanda! The juicy shrimp and that bourbon glaze- I’m all heart eyes! (And thanks for linking to my shrimp post- shrimp for everyone!!!????)