Barbecued Prawns
Large prawns cooked fast on the barbecue with garlic, butter and lemon. Simple, coastal Australian seafood done in minutes.
- prep
- 15 min
- cook
- 8 min
- total
- 23 min
- serves
- 4
- level
- easy
This is about as fast and simple as coastal Australian cooking gets: prawns straight onto a hot barbecue, basted in garlic butter, done in under ten minutes total.
Keep the shells on. They protect the flesh from the direct heat and add real flavor, even though it means getting your hands properly messy at the table.
Part of our 20 best Australian recipes list.
method
Devein the prawns, leaving the shell on for flavor and to protect the flesh on the hot grill.
Mix the melted butter, garlic, lemon juice, parsley and chili flakes if using in a bowl.
Heat the barbecue to high heat.
Toss the prawns in about half the garlic butter mixture.
Grill the prawns for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until the shells turn bright pink-orange and the flesh is opaque and just firm.
Transfer to a platter and spoon over the remaining garlic butter while still hot.
Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
chef's tips
- Shell-on prawns handle direct high heat better than peeled ones, and the shell adds real flavor along the way, even though it means messier hands at the table.
- This cooks in minutes. Have everything else on the table ready before the prawns go on the grill, since there is very little window to multitask here.
- Overcooked prawns turn tough and rubbery fast. Pull them the moment they turn opaque and just firm, not a minute later.
- A charcoal grill adds a smokiness a gas barbecue cannot quite match, but either works fine for a quick weeknight version.