A popular appetizer, grilled shrimp is mixed with cream cheese, water chestnuts, and bacon and stuffed into a wonton wrapper that is then deep-fried. Served with a sweet and spicy dipping sauce, you’ll find these small shrimp “purses” irresistible. They are creamy, sweet, spicy, and crunchy.
Normally when grilling shrimp, they are cooked all the way through. However, in this recipe, since the shrimp get cooked twice (on the grill and deep-fried in the wonton wrappers), they are purposefully undercooked slightly on the grill. This way the shrimp are still tender, not rubbery, by the end of the final cooking process.
When deep-frying the wontons, make sure that the oil is completely up to temperature. If the oil isn’t hot enough, you may end up with soggy wontons. Only cook a few wontons at a time so that they don’t overcrowd the fryer and reduce the temperature.
Grilled Shrimp Wontons Recipe
Ingredients
Shrimp Wontons
- 1/3 pound shrimp
- oil for deep frying
- 1 teaspoon Slap Yo’ Daddy "Love Me Tender" All Purpose Rub plus additional for sprinkling
- 3 slices bacon cooked and chopped
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 3 tablespoons sliced green onions
- 3 tablespoons chopped water chestnuts
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 12 wonton wrappers
Dipping Sauce
- 3 tablespoons Thai sweet chili sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- sriracha hot sauce, to taste
Equipment
- wooden skewers soaked in water for 30 minutes
- grill
- deep fryer
Directions
Shrimp Wontons
- Preheat a grill to a moderatly hot temperature.
- Peel and devein the shrimp. Thread the shrimp onto two parallel wooden skewers. Using two skewers prevents the shrimp from rolling on the grill.
- Brush the shrimp with oil and apply some rub.
- Place the shrimp skewers on the preheated hot grill for 1 to 2 minutes on each side to get a nice char on the shrimp while still a bit undercooked. Note: Any undercooked areas of the shrimp will be cooked during the frying process.
- Remove the shrimp from the heat then and cut them into 1/2-inch (1.3cm) pieces
- In a bowl, mix the shrimp, bacon, cream cheese, green onions, water chestnuts, sugar, and rub. Mix and set aside.
- Place one wonton wrapper on your cutting board. Spoon about ½ tablespoon of the mixture in the middle.
- Use some water to moisten the edges and fold the wonton into a pouch.
- Pinch the edges lightly so the moistened wonton skin will seal. Repeat until all wrappers or mixture is used up.
- Prepare a deep fryer by filling with oil and heating to it 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Add the wontons, a few at a time so they don't overcrowd, and cook until golden, 1 to 3 minutes.
Dipping Sauce
- In a small bowl, mix together the sweet chili sauce, sesame seeds, and sriracha.
- Serve the wontons hot with the dipping sauce.
Nutritional Information
More Shrimp Recipes
BBQ Grilled Seafood
Grilled Marinated Shrimp
BBQ Grilled Appetizer
Alder Wrapped Lime Shrimp
BBQ Griddle
