Achieve that much-desired smokey grill flavor with this Traeger smoked shrimp recipe. You can use skewers, but they’re not required for smoking shrimp on the pellet grill. Let’s smoke ‘em!
HEY THERE — Don’t forget I post quick, easy recipes on Instagram. Join me at @sipbitego.
Why this shrimp smoked on the Traeger recipe rocks…
- It’s a super easy smoked shrimp recipe.
- Packed with flavor. Spice ‘em up if you’d like, too!
- VERY FAST – marinade shrimp in 15-20 minutes while the smoker preheats, and really this whole recipe can be ready to eat in about 30 minutes.
- Put shrimp on skewers before smoking, or don’t – it’s up to you!
- Get the best temperature and time for BBQ smoking jumbo shrimp.
- NEW SMOKER ENTHUSIASTS: See how to cook shrimp on a Traeger pellet grill, step-by-step in my full-length recipe video on the bottom of the page.
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make smoked Traeger shrimp.
- Jumbo shrimps (raw, defrosted if from frozen, peeled and deveined shrimp)
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Parsley
- Lemon juice
- Salt and pepper
- Cocktail sauce, optional
Note: 1 LB shrimp, as recommended in this recipe, is a good appetizer size for 2 people. But this recipe is easy to scale up for a crowd. Scroll down to my bonus tips and FAQs for serving guests shrimp on kebabs for easy eating.
How to smoke shrimp
Now I’ll walk you through it…
Quick look at this recipe
- Prep shrimp and preheat Traeger.
- Add ingredients to a bowl and marinade shrimp for 15-30 min.
- Smoke jumbo shrimp for about 8 minutes, until done to smoked shrimp temp of 120 degrees F, flipping halfway through.
- Serve with cocktail sauce and enjoy!
Detailed recipe steps
- Prep shrimp for smoker. Wash shrimp if needed under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
- Preheat Traeger smoker (or whatever pellet grill you’re using) to 450 degrees F, with the lid closed.
- Quickly marinade shrimp before smoking. 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 (no longer — see recipe at end of post for details!!).
- 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.
- Flip smoker shrimp and cook 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. Serve smoked jumbo shrimps with a small bowl of cocktail sauce and enjoy!
When are fully cooked smoked shrimp done?
Don’t continue smoking shrimp above 120 degrees F, as they can become tough and chewy. They’ll be slightly pink on the outside.
New to smoking foods? This is a great smoked seafood recipe to start with… but there’s so much more to explore!!
Once you learn how to smoke shrimp on pellet grills, you’ll be ready for longer cooks like smoked brisket flat or smoked pulled pork. Or to try your grill skills at more “interesting things to smoke” like smoked onion rings wrapped in bacon and smoked Traeger pizza.
FAQs
Faster smoker recipes like this one (and smoked flanken ribs) do well with stronger pellet flavors like hickory, pecan pellets. You can use lighter, sweeter flavored wood chips (think: fruity pellets) like cherry or apple, but the smokey flavor won’t be as strong.
In a pinch, I’ve even used leftover Traeger Smoked Turkey Pellets (from smoked turkey breast and smoked whole turkey recipes) and the shrimp tasted great.
In addition to my zesty marinade, add spice with a cajun blend or use a seafood rub. A great option if you want to whip up a simple DIY shrimp seasoning is to use salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder and paprika. To amp up the flavor when they come off the grill, you can toss the shrimp in a melted butter mixture. 
Smoking raw shrimp is the way to go. Use raw jumbo shrimp for this recipe so the time and temperature are right, according to the directions, and so the shrimp is tender and doesn’t turn rubbery and taste bland.
Serve this smoked shrimp Traeger dish with grits, over homemade pasta like fettuccine noodles (mmm… now I’m craving shrimp scampi!), or with smoked sausage. If you want to cook the shrimp for a surf ‘n’ turf meal, see this sous vide filet mignon or air fryer filet mignon recipe.
For simple sides and appetizers to serve with shrimp on the Traeger, see this Greek pasta salad, smoked corn on the cob, strawberry feta salad or kale apple slaw.
No. This particular recipe for smoked shrimp does not use skewers, but using skewers can make it a little easier to flip them. Using jumbo shrimp is key, so the shrimp don’t fall through the Traeger grill grates. I’ve never felt the need to line grill racks with aluminum foil for smoking large shrimp.
If you’re serving a crowd at a bbq party, you might find it easier and a nice presentation to make smoked shrimp kabobs, instead. I like to use wooden skewers when I’m making smoked bacon wrapped shrimp, for example, because it helps hold all the ingredients together.
Yes, but don’t place shrimp directly over flames of your gas grill. Instead, place them to the side of the flame and use indirect heat. You can also make this dish with an electric smoker.
Best shrimp recipes on Sip Bite Go
- Grilled shrimp
- Sous vide shrimp
- Smoked shrimp
- Air fryer shrimp (coming soon)
More Tasty Grill + Smoker Recipes
- Smoked mac and cheese
- Smoked cream cheese
- Smoked brisket flat
- 321 ribs
- Beer can chicken on the smoker
- Smoked wings
- Smoked tomahawk steak
- Traeger tri tip
- Smoked turkey breast
- Smoked turkey legs
- Whole smoked turkey
- Smoked Traeger pizza
- Smoked onion rings
- Traeger smoked ham
- Smoked whole chicken
- Smoked jalapeno poppers
- Smoked corn on the cob
- Traeger beef ribs
- Smoked leg of lamb
- Smoked shrimp
- Grilled chicken wings
- Grilled skirt steak
- Flank steak marinade
- Grilled potato wedges
- Smoked pulled pork
- Want more? See my lineup of easy smoker recipes
See this Traeger Flatrock grill review.
See my favorite smoker tools and seasonings in my Amazon Storefront.
Meat thermometer recommendations
Every home chef needs a reliable meat thermometer to cook food perfectly.
On Sip Bite Go, you’ll often see me using:
- Meater thermometer – a fancy wireless thermometer that connects to a phone app – gifted to me from a Traeger partnership.
- ThermoPro digital thermometer – which has a wire that connects the thermometer to a display box outside the oven/grill.
It’s like being psychic! The great thing about either of the thermometers above is that I don’t have to take the food out of the oven to know the temperature.
How to use ‘em… What I do is stick the digital thermometer in steak, pork, chicken, whatever… Then put the food in the oven, on the smoker, or grill.
While the meat cooks, it reads the temperature so I know exactly what temp meat is as it’s cooking. Without having to take it out and check. It’s really difficult to overcook food when you know exactly what temp it is inside!
Are you a foodie, too?
Hey home chefs, hope that answers all your questions about cooking shrimp smoker style. I’m also a huge fan of sous vide shrimp (and sous vide lobster for that matter, too!). Soon I’ll be sharing some smoked scallops and smoked lobster – so meet you back here or on Instagram, soon!
If you don’t follow me on instagram you totally should @sipbitego. And for more deliciousness, subscribe to the Sip Bite Go channel and see the Sip Bite Go recipe collection.
Easy Traeger Smoked Shrimp Recipe (BBQ Pellet Grill) | Sip Bite Go
Ingredients
- 1 lb shrimp jumbo (defrosted if from frozen, peeled and deveined)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp garlic chopped
- 1 tbsp parsley chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice fresh
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper black
- 1 cup cocktail sauce optional
Instructions
- Prep shrimp for smoker. Wash shrimp if needed under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
- Preheat Traeger smoker (or whatever pellet grill you’re using) to 450 degrees F, with the lid closed.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
Tracy says
Made this last night, first time. AMAZING. Everyone there loved it.
Dave says
All good except you don’t match cocktail sauce with hot shrimp