Grilled Seafood Skewers With Garlic Butter and Crab Boil Spice
Master the art of grilling seafood with these double-skewered shrimp and scallops, basted in a rich, bloomed garlic butter and crab boil spice glaze.
- Double-skewering prevents the seafood from spinning, ensuring even cooking and effortless flipping.
- A quick wet brine denatures surface proteins, locking in moisture so the shrimp and scallops stay incredibly juicy.
- Blooming the crab boil spice in warm butter releases oil-soluble flavor compounds for maximum savory impact.
I still remember the humid July evening three years ago when I tried to grill shrimp on cheap wooden skewers, only to watch half of them slip through the grates into the glowing coals while the wood caught fire.
I stood there, tapping my metal tongs against my hip in pure defeat, smelling scorched cedar instead of sweet seafood.
The problem with grilling delicate seafood like shrimp and scallops is their high water content and rapid cooking times, which make them incredibly prone to sticking and overcooking. When you throw them onto a screaming-hot grill grate without proper preparation, the proteins instantly bond to the metal, tearing the flesh apart when you try to flip them. Most recipes tell you to just oil the grates, but that failed every single test in my kitchen because the oil burns off too quickly under direct heat.
Bear with me here, because the physics of this actually makes sense: by using two parallel skewers instead of one, you lock the seafood in place, making flipping as easy as turning a page.
Trust me on this one, it works every single time.
We are also blooming our crab boil spices in warm garlic butter first, which coaxes out those oil-soluble flavor compounds that water-based marinades simply leave behind.
If you have ever made our 15-Minute Creamy Garlic Shrimp or our Garlic Butter Steak and Shrimp, you already know how magical the combination of garlic, butter, and seafood can be when executed correctly.
Grilled Seafood Skewers With Garlic Butter and Crab Boil Spice
Ingredients
- 1 lb large shrimp (16-20 count), peeled and deveined
- 1 lb sea scallops, tough side muscles removed
- 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or 1.5 teaspoons fine table salt) for the brine
- 4 cups cold water
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 1.5 tablespoons Old Bay or custom crab boil spice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Directions
- In a large bowl, dissolve the Diamond Crystal kosher salt in cold water to create a quick brine. Submerge the shrimp and scallops in the brine for exactly 10 minutes, then drain and pat them completely dry with paper towels.
- While the seafood brines, melt the unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the grated garlic and crab boil spice, letting them cook gently for 2 minutes to bloom the oil-soluble flavors without browning the garlic. Stir in the lemon juice and remove from heat.
- Preheat your grill to high heat (around 400°F to 450°F) and clean the grates thoroughly with a wire brush.
- Thread the seafood onto double skewers, running two parallel skewers through each piece of shrimp and scallop to lock them in place and prevent spinning.
- Brush both sides of the skewers generously with the bloomed garlic butter mixture.
- Place the skewers on the hot grill grates. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side, brush with more garlic butter, then flip and cook for another 3 minutes until the shrimp are pink and the scallops are opaque.
- Remove from the grill, drizzle with any remaining garlic butter, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Salt Conversion: We highly recommend using Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you only have standard table salt, reduce the amount to 1.5 teaspoons to avoid over-salting your seafood brine.
- The Science of Brining: Brining seafood for just 10 minutes denatures the surface proteins, creating a thin barrier that prevents moisture from escaping during high-heat grilling.
- Workflow Warning: Keep your garlic butter warm but never boiling on the side of the grill. If the garlic overheats, it will scorch and turn bitter, ruining the delicate sweetness of the scallops.
- Storage Behavior: Leftover grilled seafood will tighten up and lose its juicy texture in the fridge. Avoid reheating in the microwave, as it turns the proteins into rubbery erasers.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these smoky, garlic-infused skewers hot off the grill with fresh lemon wedges and a variety of summer sides to round out the meal.
- Pair them with our sweet and savory Southern-Style Honey Butter Cornbread Poppers.
- Serve over a bed of fluffy white rice, just like we do with our Chimichurri Shrimp with Rice and Tzatziki.
- Alongside our grilled Garlic Parmesan Chicken Kebabs for an ultimate surf-and-turf backyard barbecue.
- With a crisp, cold cucumber salad or grilled corn on the cob.
Storage and Reheating
Let's be completely honest here: leftover grilled seafood is a tragedy.
Once those delicate proteins cool down, they tighten up, and any attempt to blast them in the microwave the next day will yield rubbery, sad little nuggets. If you do have leftovers, slide them off the skewers and store them in an airtight glass container in the fridge for no more than 24 hours.
To eat them without ruining the texture, do not reheat them at all.
Instead, chop the cold shrimp and scallops up and toss them with a little mayo and celery for an incredible, quick seafood salad. It is hands down the best way to salvage yesterday's dinner.
Ingredient Substitutes
If you don't have all the ingredients on hand, here are some easy swaps that won't compromise the integrity of the dish:
- Sea Scallops: You can substitute firm, cubed white fish like halibut, mahi-mahi, or swordfish.
- Crab Boil Spice: Use Cajun seasoning or a homemade blend of smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and celery salt.
- Unsalted Butter: Ghee or high-quality olive oil will work, though you will miss that rich, sweet dairy finish.
Grab your tongs, fire up those coals, and don't forget to double-skewer. Your summer dinners are about to get a whole lot brighter.
Susan Rosie
I've spent over 12 years perfecting recipes so you can cook with confidence. Every dish on Storied Skillet is tested multiple times – because your dinner matters. I believe in simple ingredients, clear instructions, and big flavors.
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