Tender & Juicy Air Fryer Salt-Grilled Shrimp (with Shrimp Prep & Crispy Head Tips)
Super Simple Air Fryer Salt-Grilled Shrimp Recipe: Shrimp Prep to Deliciously Crispy Heads Revealed!
Enjoy salt-grilled shrimp easily at home! This recipe utilizes an air fryer for a quicker and simpler cooking process. We’ll cover how to prepare fresh shrimp and share a special tip for enjoying crispy shrimp heads, which are a delightful treat. Complete your special meal with these savory and moist salt-grilled shrimp.
Essential Ingredients- Black Tiger Shrimp (or your preferred shrimp), as needed
- Coarse salt, generously
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Prepare the shrimp you’ll be using, coarse salt, and parchment paper for the air fryer.
Step 2
The shrimp I’m using are Black Tiger shrimp. Since they are large and can have sharp horns near the head, for safety, use kitchen scissors to trim off the horns first. This ensures you can cook safely without getting pricked.
Step 3
Also, trim the long antennae of the shrimp with scissors. It’s okay to leave the legs on, but trimming them beforehand makes peeling the shells much easier later on.
Step 4
To enjoy clean-tasting shrimp, deveining is essential. Insert a skewer deep into the third segment from the head of the shrimp, and then pull gently…
Step 5
This is how the dark vein will come out cleanly. Going through this step will result in a cleaner and more delicious salt-grilled shrimp.
Step 6
Rinse the prepared shrimp lightly under running water, then drain them thoroughly in a colander. If water remains, the shrimp might steam instead of grill.
Step 7
Line your air fryer basket with parchment paper and spread a generous layer of coarse salt on it. The salt not only seasons the shrimp but also helps retain moisture at high temperatures, keeping the shrimp succulent.
Step 8
Arrange the prepared shrimp in a single layer on top of the coarse salt. Avoid overcrowding the basket; this ensures even cooking.
Step 9
Place the shrimp in a preheated air fryer set to 180°C (350°F) and cook for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, carefully open the air fryer, use tongs to flip the shrimp, and cook for another 5 minutes. A total of 13 minutes will yield delicious salt-grilled shrimp.
Step 10
The cooking time may vary slightly depending on the size of the shrimp. Overcooking can make the shrimp tough and the shells difficult to peel, so it’s important to cook them just enough to keep them moist and sweet.
Step 11
After enjoying the shrimp bodies, gather just the heads and place them back in the air fryer at 180°C (350°F) for an additional 17 minutes. (Reduce the cooking time if your shrimp are smaller.) Crispy shrimp heads from fresh shrimp are even more flavorful and delicious than the bodies! ^^
Step 12
For the crispy shrimp heads, peel away the shell, focusing on the area around the horns and eyes. Enjoy the rich flavor that fills your mouth.
Step 13
This is a simple yet incredibly delicious salt-grilled shrimp recipe that anyone can easily make with an air fryer.
Step 14
Enjoy making and sharing this tasty and healthy salt-grilled shrimp with your whole family!
