There are tons of benefits of living in North America but as an island boy who loves my belly, I starve for fresh ingredients (fresh from the plant and earth) and I hate the fact that I’m limited by seasons. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve gone outside in -25 C winter blizzards to grill, but there are times when even the sight of snow or the fact that I have to layer up to go outside, gets me uninterested. Not even juicy jerk shrimp could see me deal with frigid temps. Don’t worry, Mc Donalds in never an option… Crix and sardines!
Pineapple and shrimp are abundant in the Caribbean and I remember that my dad always had a pineapple plant in our back yard when we were growing up, so this recipe is kinda natural for me. The marinating in rich jerk spices is just another welcomed addition. Let’s be clear for all my Jamaican friends who will point out that this is not jerk shrimp… yes I too agree, but it’s a delicious way to enjoy “jerk shrimp” in the cold winter months. (BTW you can marinate the shrimp as I did, place them on skewers (with the pineapple) and grill, if you want the smokiness of an open flame.)
You’ll Need…
1 lb shrimp (cleaned / deveined)
1/2 cup zesty Italian Dressing
2 heaping tablespoon jerk spice rub (your fav)
pinch salt
1 cup cubed pineapple
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (any hot pepper you like)
juice 1 lime
juice 2 small oranges
2 tablespoon olive oil
optional…
* 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
* chopped scallion for topping
Note: I know when you think ‘jerk’ you think about the smoky flavors of the grill and zesty Italian dressing is not something which comes to mind. This is not a traditional ‘jerk’ dish, but I assure you that the flavors of the jerk spice, combined with the lovely citrus undertones of the fresh lime and oranges will give the shrimp and chunks of pineapple a lovely twist. At the end of this recipe I’ll share the video I did in preparing this exciting Caribbean inspired dish and I’ll also let you know how you can win a wonderful spice package courtesy of the Knox’s Spice Company.
Additional videos (click on the title to see):
How To Peel And Core A Pineapple
The size of shrimp you use is up to you as I used what I could afford (on sale at the time). If you’re in North America, you can always check out Asian grocery stores for really good prices and selection on seafood. Clean, devein and wash the shrimp. The goal is to marinate this for a bit, but since there’s vinegar in the Italian salad dressing you really don’t want to marinate for too long or risk the shrimp getting cooked with the vinegar.
Place the shrimp in a deep bowl and add all the ingredients except the olive oil, pineapple and optional chopped scallion. I added a bit of brown sugar to the mix as well, as I love the added flavor.
Give it a good stir and allow to marinate for about 20 minutes. Then heat a saucepan on a med/high heat and drizzle in the olive oil… remember to never get olive too hot (smoking) as it’s not good with high heat. Using a pair tongs or slotted spoon, fish out the shrimp from the bowl and add to the pot. Stir well and try to use a fairly wide pan as not to crowd the shrimp while they cook. You’ll notice they will start to do a couple things.. they will curl and will start to change to a brilliant reddish (almost orange) color. This is what happens when shrimp cooks. Cook for about 3 minutes (toss around to cook on all sides). This is one of the few times I will ask you to dump out the marinade and not use it in the actual cooking process.
Now it’s time to add the cubed pieces of pineapple to the pot. Stir well so as to pick on the jerk flavors and to warm through. Keep stirring and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Try not to overcook or the shrimp will go tough. If after adding the pineapple pieces you find that there’s a lot of liquid at the bottom of the pan, turn up the heat so it burns off in the 2-3 minutes it takes to cook after we’ve added the pineapple. For an added touch (if you really like your spice), when the dish is done and you top with the chopped scallions, add a teaspoon of the jerk spice rub and toss. This will give it a really heightened twist at the end.
You can certainly add additional flavors to this with some bell peppers and slices of orange if you wish, but I’ll leave that for another recipe and for you to be creative as you see fit. Watch the video below for how to make this wicked jerk shrimp with pineapple and for how you can win the spice package courtesy of The Knox’s Spice Company.
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Do we get the chef also?
Everything you cook is amazing!!!
Looks very tasty! All your recipes have me inspired to cook up a fabulous round table meals on Sundays. Keep it up this is the best Caribbean Cooking recipes i have found in a long time.
Very simple and looks very tasty. I will definitely try it. It brings back those Caribbean memories… :>)
Very nice.
Spice is nice!
Chris is the best you make cooking so simple and tasty thank you!
Oh yum!! The sounds soooooo good…thinking that it might also be tasty made with chicken. Can’t wait to make it!
Hi Chris, Shrimp looks amazing, will definitely try. Is the Jerk rub Gluten Free?
Thanks for all your amazing recipes Chris.
Hey Chris, the Shrimp looks amazing and I will definitely try this! Love the show!
Wendy
This shrimp looks delish…must try it soon!!!!!
This looks great, I will be trying it this weekend
Hello chris, I juts love this recipe. I made it for my husband and he just love it. Thank you for sharing it with us. keep up the great work.
Awesome Chris!!!!
Ah maannn, this sure looks good. Going to try it tonight!! Thanks for all the great recipes Chris, please keep them coming.
Champion!!!
THIS SHRIMP LOOK SO GOOD YOUVE MADE ME A GOOD COOK THANKS!
Just discovered this website.Shrimp is my favourite so I'll try any shrimp recipe.I know this one will taste great.Many thanks.
Oh gosh Chris, I have used your recipe to make these lazy man Island inspired Jerk Shrimps with Juicy Pineapple and they came out really wicked and amazing. The taste was so zesty, sweet and full of flavor, I did not have the heart to tell everyone that I had cheated with the sauces 🙂
Now, everyone wants to get my recipe but I am not giving it up… Actually it is not even mine so I can do that 🙂 Thank you so very much for putting up these amazing recipes for us to try. I am always cooking using your recipes and I always get the thumps up from everyone. Even though I am not from the Islands but my food is tastier then my friends cooking that are from the Islands, thanks to you….
I stumbles upon your website searching for a recipe for stew peas and rice. What a treasure trove of recipes! I am an american married to a belizian and I am learning how to please his palate. Your recipes had him thinking I ordered take out! He couldn’t believe how authentic they tasted! Thank you for making a caribbean out of an american.
just triied your jerk shhrimp with p8napples and it was GREAT i even i had my american friends eating it!!!!!! and they loved it i have to try so more of your reicpes
My son is in Jr High and is making a power point presentation about Caibbean crusine, what's it like, cultural influences, compare it to recipes we usually make, what makes the recipe uniquely Caribbean. He is making Jerk Shrimp with Juicy Pineapple tonight for dinner, my taste buds can't wait. I am hoping he gets more assignments like this one.
Try this recipe right now!!!!!!!!!! Don't have zesty Italian dress but I will figure something out.
Hi Chris, I was looking for a shrimp recipe to wow my friends at work. After looking at your video I was convinced that your jerk shrimp with pineapple was the one and I wanted. After all my mouth was filled with water after looking at the video. :o) its something different other than the old shrimp dish. I looked for the rub in the supermarket but didn't find it. My pallet is craving your shrimp recipe!!!!
Thank you!
Love it! I tried it and it came out great!
I'm posting on you tube and this, hey i tried the recipe and i loved it.
This looks so fantastic! I am going to save this recipe to try myself sometime soon! I wonder if it would taste good with chicken instead of shrimp?
Looks very good, but for me sad to say can't try this one allergic to pineapple, so have to pass on this.
This is a great dish for a party. Yum.
ya man..looking good good, enjoying it all the way in holland
since i dont want to sign up at youtube, i try my luck with leaving a comment here. i ahve to say,i love yor vids and the recipies. geting the spices would be so great for me, because i really have a hard time finding any…i live in germany….
This Shrimps look so delicious
Lovely dish will be trying it o the weekend well done chris xx
Hey, I love the look of this dish, I am going to give it a try, I hope it tastes as good as it looks. I enjoyed your cooking, you make it simple and tasty.
I will be trying this one.
Looks yummy…will be trying it this weekend!
Chris, thank you for sharing this recipe. In the future, could you have a printer-friendly version of your recipe pages? I like to print out the recipe when I cook. Thank you 🙂
Looks good. I'll be sure to give this one a try. Today I made your Coconut Curry Shrimp. Very good, though like you, i'm not that partial to coconut milk. Next up is Ultimate Curry Shrimp! Now if only Spring would hurry up, I could sit outside and enjoy the shrimp and a cold one.