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    BLANK » Recipe Index » Caribbean Dishes

    Jamaican hot pepper shrimp

    Last Updated December 19, 2022. Published May 16, 2015 By Charla 23 Comments

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    Jamaican hot pepper shrimp recipe - Bringing some hot, peppery shrimp-tastic island style seafood to your house for all the family to enjoy.

    Jamaican hot pepper shrimp

    If you're a fan of Caribbean cooking and hot food then look no further because you're in for a treat with this dish. Jamaican hot pepper shrimp aka pepper prawns are fiery and packed with flavour, providing the correct amount of seasoning is applied.

    Please keep in mind that this is MY version of the recipe to hand and how I like to prepare it.

    How much shrimp will I need to make the recipe?

    You need need a total of 1lb of shrimp to make this recipe. Don't forget to wash and devain each shrimp before starting any cooking.

    Speaking of which, devaining shelled shrimp can be a little tricky when scooping out the intestinal tract.

    I have had my fair share of frustration, but you see peppered shrimp is traditionally prepared with the shell in tact.

    In order to remove that intestinal tract simply use a tooth pick and insert from the tail end and gently tease it out, the entire thing should slide out - no fuss.

    Jamaican hot pepper shrimp step 1-3

    How much water is required to cook the pepper shrimp?

    Approximately ¼ of a cup should do.

    I know some people have a tendency to over saturate the shrimp with water once they're in the dutch pot, in my personal opinion this literally kills the flavour.

    You're probably wondering what I'm referring to especially if you're never had/made Jamaican hot pepper shrimp but the flavour/heat should be locked in the shrimp.

    Don't fret about sealing in the flavour as my recipe will hopefully guide you through the entire process with ease. It's not a difficult dish to prepare and the results are truly divine, believe me when I say that.

    I do recommend cooking shrimp with shell on and the head attached. Again, this simply heightens the depth of flavour.

    Jamaican hot pepper shrimpWhat ingredients do I need to make the pepper shrimp?

    You'll need about 3 scotch bonnets to suffice the heat. I know some of my readers will be dying to try this with no access to Caribbean peppers.

    If this the case, alternatively, you can substitute scotch bonnet pepper with habaneros instead.

    For the most part, you will need to prepare the ingredients to infuse the shrimp before hand - I used a combination of fresh and dry condiments - onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, fresh garlic cloves, himalayan pink salt, allspice, sweet paprika and thyme (I like to add additional thyme to many Caribbean recipes).

    Just allow it to penetrate for an hour or so, not several hours, that's not necessary.

    Cooking the pepper shrimp

    Use a heavy duty pot like a dutch pot (aka dutch oven) to cook the shrimp in a very small amount of water.

    The key is to cook the shrimp for no more than 10 minutes (basically until they turn pink) with the lid on the pot so it cooks via steam.

    Shrimps can quickly turn into a rubber/tough texture, I'm talking about in a matter of seconds. Despite using uncooked shrimp please be mindful of overcooking them.

    Some people add red food colouring or annatto to their shrimp to yield a red hue. I don't do it but you can!!

    Can I use frozen or cooked shrimp instead?

    Yes, you can use frozen shrimp if that is more convenient. Just make sure to defrost and devain them prior to use.

    Cooked shrimp is another option however, your cooking time will be reduced from  3-4 minutes maximum to omit any change in texture.

    Jamaican hot pepper shrimp

    Notes and tips

    • If you want to switch up the seasoning use my Seafood Seasoning instead
    • If you want your shrimp to yield a red hue simply add more paprika/use food colouring or annatto about ½ teaspoon should do.
    • If it is your first time cleaning shrimp then use this link as a guideline.
    • Feel free to serve the shrimp like the vendors do in a small clear plastic bag.
    • This recipe is my own rendition old bay seasoning is optional and not used in the original recipe.
    • Add more scotch bonnet if you want more heat.
    • Use chillis/harbenero/scorpion peppers if you can't get scotch bonnets
    • It's highly recommended to use raw shrimp with head/tails, not cooked ones.
    • Keep an eye on the shrimp when cooking as soon as they turn pink, they are ready, the cooking time is an estimate.

    More Caribbean fish recipes to try

    •  Jamaican Steamed Fish
    • Jamaican Black Pepper Shrimp
    • Jamaican Curry Shrimp
    • Pan Fried Garlic Butter Shrimp
    • Jamaican Shrimp and Cabbage
    • Saltfish Buljol
    • Curry Cod
    • Caribbean Stewed fish 

    **Don't forget to comment below and star rate if you have tried my recipes. Let's be friends and engage on Facebook and Instagram I also like to pin on Pinterest, where you can find more amazing recipes.**

    Jamaican hot pepper shrimp

    Paleo and Gluten free shrimp that have heat and flavor
    5 from 12 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Caribbean, Jamaican
    Prep Time: 2 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour hour 13 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 138kcal
    Author: Charla

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb of raw shrimp with shell
    • 3 red scotch bonnet finely chopped
    • ½ tablespoon of onion powder
    • ½ tablespoon of garlic granules or powder
    • 1-2 teaspoon of himalayan pink salt
    • ½ teaspoon of black pepper
    • 1 tablespoon of sweet paprika
    • 3 garlic cloves minced
    • ¼ teaspoon of allspice
    • ½ tablespoon of thyme optional
    • fresh lime to clean the shrimp
    • 1 teaspoon of old bay seasoning optional
    • ¼ cup of warm water
    • ½ teaspoon annatto powder optional, for a deeper, natural hue of red

    Instructions

    • Squeeze and rub the juice of a lime over the shrimp and rinse with water.
    • Use a toothpick to tease out the intestinal tract from the tail end of the shrimp and discard. Also remove the antennae and legs (optional) if you wish.
    • Coat and rub the entire ingredients into the shrimp and leave to infuse for an hour.
    • Preheat the dutch pot with 1-2tbsp of coconut oil on medium heat.
    • Using a slotted spoon lower the shrimp into the pot and stir for 2 minutes.
    • Add the ¼ cup of warm water, along with the annatto powder if you are using, cover lid and leave to gently steam for 10 minutes. The shrimp should be pink and ready to eat - the sauce of the shrimp should thicken as it cools.
    • Once ready serve immediately to prevent change in texture of shrimp from reheating.

    Notes

    • If you want to switch up the seasoning use my Seafood Seasoning instead
    • If you want your shrimp to yield a red hue simply add more paprika/use food colouring or annatto about ½ teaspoon should do.
    • If it is your first time cleaning shrimp then use this link as a guideline.
    • Feel free to serve the shrimp like the vendors do in a small clear plastic bag.
    • This recipe is my own rendition old bay seasoning is optional and not used in the original recipe.
    • Add more scotch bonnet if you want more heat.
    • Use chillis/harbenero/scorpion peppers if you can't get scotch bonnets
    • It's highly recommended to use raw shrimp with head/tails, not cooked ones.
    • Keep an eye on the shrimp when cooking as soon as they turn pink, they are ready, the cooking time is an estimate.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 138kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 286mg | Sodium: 1467mg | Potassium: 193mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 975IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 185mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @ThatGirlCooksHealthy or tag #ThatGirlCooksHealthy!

     

    Jamaican hot pepper shrimp
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    About Charla

    I'm Charla. Caribbean foodie & Certified Health Coach. Welcome to the heaven of gluten and dairy free recipes as well as modernised healthier alternatives to some of your favourite Caribbean recipes.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Willow

      July 29, 2022 at 9:14 pm

      5 stars
      This was a complete success. I followed the recipe exactly (including the optional items), which is something I rarely do. I served it with black beans, brown rice, plantains, and corn bread. This goes into regular rotation.

      Reply
      • Charla

        July 30, 2022 at 10:05 pm

        Hey Willow, thanks for the wonderful feedback, sounds like you had quite a feast and glad to hear it will be a regular for you.

        Reply
    2. Barrington Augustus

      April 19, 2022 at 1:25 pm

      5 stars
      Wow, I just love this is a traditional Jamaican snack your recipes help me a lot
      .

      Reply
      • Charla

        April 19, 2022 at 4:04 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    3. Ashley

      July 20, 2021 at 1:20 am

      Can I use dried habanero peppers?

      Reply
      • Charla

        July 20, 2021 at 6:34 am

        It should work!

        Reply
    4. Finesse

      May 24, 2020 at 6:06 pm

      Can I use shrimp without the shell on too?

      Reply
      • Charla

        May 24, 2020 at 6:13 pm

        Yes. Just make sure they are raw not cooked that's the most important aspect of the recipe.

        Reply
    5. Natasha mility

      July 20, 2019 at 6:44 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my first time a cook prawns tru ma boys don't eat them.juicy yum yum came out beautiful thankyou for the recipe.

      Reply
      • Charla

        July 20, 2019 at 6:48 pm

        No problem, you are very welcome Natasha

        Reply
        • Kristina

          April 15, 2021 at 4:32 pm

          Hi there when you finely chopped the scotch bonnet did you leave the seeds in ?

          Reply
          • Charla

            April 15, 2021 at 4:39 pm

            Hi Kristina, yes, the seeds/membrane are where the heat element comes from so you will definitely want to include everything in order to make the shrimp "hot". I hope that helps!

            Reply
      • Charla

        July 23, 2019 at 10:44 am

        Thank you!

        Reply
    6. Keisha-Gaye

      April 21, 2018 at 5:11 pm

      5 stars
      Can I use chicken instead of shrimp and increase the cook time

      Reply
      • Charla

        April 21, 2018 at 9:04 pm

        Hi Keisha. I personally haven't tried it but I think it should work just fine. Enjoy!

        Reply
    7. Chuks

      August 27, 2017 at 10:17 pm

      5 stars
      I love this blog. I've referred my wife

      Reply
      • Charla

        August 28, 2017 at 12:50 am

        Aww thank you so much. I hope your wife likes my blog.

        Reply
    8. valerie

      May 11, 2017 at 5:21 am

      5 stars
      Love this! Thank you so much for this.

      Reply
      • Charla

        May 11, 2017 at 7:41 am

        You are welcome

        Reply
    9. MGR

      January 20, 2016 at 11:34 am

      Great. ..thanks much. Wify loves it 🙂

      Reply
      • Charla

        January 20, 2016 at 1:07 pm

        Yay! That's what I like to hear.

        Reply
    10. nickcoy gowdie

      January 11, 2016 at 11:45 pm

      Thanks so much for this ....

      Reply
      • Charla

        January 12, 2016 at 11:40 am

        You are welcome Nickcoy.

        Reply

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    I'm Charla. Caribbean foodie & Certified Health Coach. Welcome to the heaven of gluten and dairy free recipes as well as modernised healthier alternatives to some of your favourite Caribbean recipes. Learn more about me

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