Grilled shrimp has one big advantage: it cooks fast. It also has one big disadvantage: it cooks fast. Turn away to find the tongs, and suddenly the shrimp are tougher than an old work boot. Foil packets make the timing gentler and keep the garlic-butter goodness right where it belongs.
Dick’s Shore Thing combines celery salt, paprika, mustard, bay leaf, lemon peel, and warm spices for seafood-friendly flavor. Add shrimp, corn, potatoes, and lemon and you’ve got an easy summer cookout meal with a North Country pantry twist.
Recipe at a glance
- Serves: 4
- Prep: 20 minutes
- Cook: About 15–20 minutes after the potatoes are par-cooked
- Featured rub: Dick’s Shore Thing
- Farm pairing: Masters Potatoes and seasonal corn, if available
Ingredients
- 1 pound large peeled and deveined shrimp, thawed and chilled
- 1 pound small potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 ears corn, cut into short rounds
- 1 small zucchini, thickly sliced
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dick’s Shore Thing seasoning
- 1 lemon, half juiced and half sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- Heavy-duty foil or two layers of regular foil for each packet
Method
- Par-cook the potatoes. Simmer the potato pieces about 8–10 minutes until nearly tender, then drain. Shrimp cook too quickly to wait for raw potatoes to soften inside a packet.
- Preheat the grill. Set up a medium-heat area, preferably with an indirect zone, according to the grill manual. For an oven option, heat to 425°F.
- Season. In a clean bowl, combine potatoes, corn, zucchini, melted butter, olive oil, lemon juice, and Shore Thing. Divide among four sheets of heavy-duty foil.
- Add shrimp last. Divide shrimp among packets, toss briefly with the seasoned vegetables, and lay a lemon slice over each. Fold the foil to seal, leaving a little space for steam.
- Cook and check. Place packets over controlled grill heat with the lid closed, about 12–18 minutes, depending on shrimp size and grill temperature. Carefully open one packet away from your face—steam can burn. Shrimp should reach the USDA safe minimum for shellfish (the chart lists 145°F for fish and shellfish; for shrimp, opaque and pearly flesh is also a guideline). Do not leave them cooking long after they’re done.
- Finish. Open packets carefully, garnish with parsley, and serve with lemon wedges.
The shrimp timing trick
Choose large shrimp for a more forgiving cook, and make sure the potatoes are already close to tender. If you want the most precise timing, cook the vegetables in the packets first for about 8 minutes and add the shrimp for the final portion of the cook. That reduces the risk of rubbery seafood.
A smarter shopping note
Masters Potatoes may be available seasonally at Legacy Acres’ Farm Stand. Dick’s Shore Thing is part of the seasoning lineup at Dick’s Rubs. Shrimp and corn can come from your regular grocery store; no need to pretend every ingredient came from the farm.
Food safety: Keep raw shrimp refrigerated, wash hands and surfaces after handling, and refrigerate leftovers promptly. Don’t put cooked food back in the bowl that held raw shrimp.