Step 1

Prep shrimp for smoker. Wash shrimp if needed under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

Step 2

Preheat Traeger smoker (or whatever pellet grill you’re using) to 450 degrees F, with the lid closed.

Step 3

Quickly marinade shrimp before smoking. (IMPORTANT: Recommended marinating time for shrimp before grilling is at least 15 minutes, up to 30 minutes. Don’t marinate shrimp longer than 30 minutes because the lemon juice – the acid – will break down the shrimp meat too much, and will render it mushy.) Add jumbo shrimp to a large bowl. Drizzle on olive oil, and toss in chopped garlic, parsley, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Toss with tongs to combine and season shrimp thoroughly. Marinade 15-30 minutes.

Step 4

Traeger grill shrimp. Add shrimp directly to the pellet grill grates (or put them on skewers first, or add them to a grilling basket before putting ‘em on the smoker rack). Close the lid, and smoke shrimp for four minutes.

Step 5

Flip smoker shrimp and smoke for another 2-4 minutes, or until done. Internal temperature of fully cooked smoked shrimp is 120 degrees F. Use an internal read meat thermometer to check the temp in the thickest part of the jumbo shrimp before taking them off the grill. Don’t continue smoking shrimp above 120 degrees F, as they can become tough and chewy. They’ll be slightly pink on the outside. Serve smoked jumbo shrimps with a small bowl of cocktail sauce and enjoy!