Camarones a la Plancha Estilo Golfo
Camarones a la Plancha Estilo Golfo
Fin de Semana: Weekend Parrilladas and Sunday Suppers
For years, sanitized food media told us grilled shrimp meant peeling them and tossing them in olive oil. If you want the real, unapologetic taste of a weekend cookout on the borderlands, there are two ancestral secrets you need to respect. First, you butterfly the shrimp but leave the shell intact to protect the delicate meat from a blazing iron plancha. Second, the marinade is bound with mayonnaise and butter. To an uninitiated palate, searing mayonnaise might sound strange, but on a scorching cast-iron skillet, that emulsion breaks down and fries the spices directly against the shrimp. It creates a deeply savory, charred crust that locks the juices inside without burning. It’s fast, it’s fierce, and it tastes exactly like home.
Before you start
Make the adobo ahead of time.
The chili and mayonnaise emulsion can be blended up to three days in advance and kept in the fridge until you're ready to fire up the skillet.
Ingredients
- dried guajillo chiles4 med
- dried chiles de árbol2 small
- garlic cloves3 med
- white onion1/4 med
- full-fat mayonnaise3 tbsp
- unsalted butter2 tbsp
- fresh lime juice1 tbsp
- Maggi seasoning sauce or soy sauce1 tsp
- chicken bouillon powder1/2 tsp
- water1/4 cup
- extra-large raw shell-on shrimp1 1/2 lb
- neutral oil1 tbsp
- kosher salt1 pinch
- black pepper1 pinch
- lime1 med
- cilantro2 tbsp
Method
- 01
Toast and soften the dried chiles.
Place a dry cast-iron skillet over medium heat and lightly press the guajillo and árbol chiles into the pan for about 30 seconds per side until fragrant and pliable. Transfer them to a small bowl, submerge in boiling water for 15 minutes to soften, then drain.
- 02
Blend the adobo binder.
In a blender, combine the softened chiles, garlic, onion, mayonnaise, melted butter, lime juice, Maggi seasoning, chicken bouillon, and water. Blend on high until you have a smooth, creamy, vibrant red paste.
- 03
Butterfly the shrimp while keeping the shells attached.
Using a sharp paring knife, cut a deep slit down the back of each unpeeled shrimp from the head to the tail, stopping just before you cut through the belly shell. Press the meat open flat like a book and wipe away the dark intestinal vein.
- 04
Massage the adobo into the shrimp.
Place the butterflied shrimp in a large bowl and pour the adobo over them, using your hands to ensure the exposed flesh of every shrimp is coated. Do not add salt at this stage.
- 05
Sear on a blazing hot plancha.
Wipe your cast-iron skillet clean, set it over medium-high heat until smoking, and add the neutral oil. Just seconds before cooking, sprinkle the shrimp lightly with salt and black pepper.
- 06
Cook fast and hard.
Working in batches to avoid crowding, lay the shrimp shell-side down for about 2 minutes to insulate the meat, then flip to flesh-side down for 1 minute until the mayonnaise emulsion chars perfectly against the iron. Serve immediately with fresh lime wedges and chopped cilantro.
Notes
Do not peel the shrimp.
The protective shell acts as a crucial heat shield against the screaming hot iron. If you peel them, the high heat will turn the delicate protein into rubber.
Hold the salt until the very end.
Salting the shrimp while they marinate draws out vital moisture. Only season them in the final seconds before they hit the hot pan.
From Cook Tex-Mex.