How to Cook Perfect Bacon Wrapped Shrimp in a Pan

Bacon wrapped shrimp is one of my favorite easy appetizers to make at home. The combination of crispy salty bacon complementing sweet succulent shrimp is simply delightful. While you can certainly bake bacon wrapped shrimp in the oven, I find cooking them in a pan on the stovetop allows you to monitor them more easily for perfect doneness.

In this detailed guide, I’ll share my tips for making foolproof bacon wrapped shrimp in a pan every time.

Getting Started

Before we begin cooking, we need to gather our ingredients and prep the shrimp and bacon. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Shrimp – Buy fresh or thawed shrimp with the tails left on. Large or jumbo shrimp work best. Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails intact. Rinse the shrimp and pat dry.

• Bacon – Select high quality, thinly sliced bacon. Thick cut bacon will take too long to cook and can overwhelm the shrimp

• Wooden toothpicks – Soak toothpicks in water for 30 minutes prior to using. These will be used to secure the bacon onto the shrimp.

• Seasonings – For seasoning, all you need is salt, pepper and optionally garlic powder or Cajun seasoning. Avoid overly seasoned breading or batters on the shrimp.

• Oil – Use a high smoke point oil like avocado, grapeseed or light olive oil. Butter can burn too quickly.

Now we’re ready to cook!

Wrapping the Shrimp

1. Cut each slice of bacon in half widthwise. You want the bacon slices to be long enough to wrap around the shrimp but not overlap too much.

2. Wrap a bacon slice around the top side of each shrimp and secure it in place by sticking a pre-soaked wooden toothpick through the bacon and along the underside of the shrimp.

3. Sprinkle the shrimp lightly with salt, pepper and any other seasonings you desire. Go easy on the salt, as the bacon will add plenty of saltiness.

4. Set the bacon wrapped shrimp on a plate or baking sheet. They can sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before cooking.

Cooking the Shrimp

Now we’re ready to cook our bacon wrapped shrimp to perfection in a pan on the stovetop. Here’s how:

1. Heat 1-2 Tbsp of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. I prefer cast iron or nonstick for this recipe.

2. When the oil shimmers, add the shrimp in a single layer without overcrowding the pan. Work in batches if needed.

3. Cook the shrimp undisturbed for 2 minutes on the first side. Resist the urge to move them around, you want that initial sear.

4. After 2 minutes, flip each shrimp over and cook for 1 minute on the second side.

5. Using tongs, flip the shrimp back over onto their first side and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Keep flipping the shrimp occasionally as they cook.

6. When the bacon is crispy and browned, and the shrimp have turned pink and opaque, they are fully cooked.

7. Transfer the cooked shrimp to a paper towel lined plate. Allow to drain briefly before serving.

8. Repeat process with remaining shrimp in batches. Make sure to let the pan reheat between batches.

Some tips for perfect pan seared bacon wrapped shrimp:

• Use a thin bacon to allow for even cooking between the bacon and shrimp

• Resist overcrowding the pan which causes steaming instead of searing

• Flip the shrimp every minute or so for even browning and crisping of the bacon

• Cook until the bacon is browned and shrimp is fully opaque

• Don’t overcook – shrimp cooks very quickly, so watch closely

• Allow the pan to reheat between batches for optimal searing

That’s all there is to it! With this easy pan searing technique, you’ll have restaurant-quality bacon wrapped shrimp ready in just 10-15 minutes. I like to serve these shrimp warm right out of the pan with a spicy remoulade sauce for dipping. They also make fantastic appetizers for parties and game day foods.

Crispy, salty, sweet and perfectly cooked – enjoy these amazing bacon wrapped shrimp straight from your home kitchen. Just be prepared for requests for the recipe!