A prawn cocktail might be a classic, but cooking the prawns over charcoal takes it to another level. The shells protect the meat while picking up a gentle smokiness, and the slight charring adds a depth of flavour that works beautifully with the crisp salad and punchy cocktail sauce.
This recipe comes from our recent American Steakhouse BBQ masterclass with Mark O'Brien.
Ingredients
Serves 4
Prawns
1kg whole raw prawns, head and shell on
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp your favourite hot sauce
Zest of 1 lemon
Sea salt
Salad
2 baby gem lettuces, finely sliced
A small handful of chervil, chopped
A small handful of tarragon, chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Cocktail Sauce
150g ketchup
2 tbsp horseradish purée
1 tbsp Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
To Serve
Pickled peppers
Lemon wedges
Charlie Oven setup
Use good quality lump charcoal, ideally Stag Charcoal. Build a fire using roughly half a football sized pile of charcoal placed directly on the fire grates. No need to wait for it to burn down to embers.
Bring the Charlie Oven to around 250°C (480°F).
Fit the Charlie Perforated Plancha Rack or using the standard grilling rack onto the lowest runners directly above the charcoal.
Method
Prepare the Prawns
Place the prawns into a large bowl.
Add the vegetable oil, hot sauce, lemon zest and a generous pinch of sea salt.
Mix well so every prawn is evenly coated.
Leaving the heads and shells on protects the meat from the fierce heat of the charcoal while adding extra flavour during cooking.
Make the Salad
Combine the baby gem, chervil and tarragon in a large bowl.
Dress with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and the lemon juice.
Season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, then toss lightly so the leaves stay crisp and evenly coated.
Make the Cocktail Sauce
Mix together the ketchup, horseradish purée and Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce until smooth.
Divide into small ramekins ready for serving.
Cook the Prawns
Spread the prawns over the Charlie Perforated Plancha Rack in a single layer.
Turn the prawns every minute or so until the shells are evenly charred on all sides.
Cook to temperature rather than to time.
The prawns are ready when the thickest part reaches an internal temperature of 63°C (145°F) and the flesh is opaque, firm and easily pulls away from the shell.
Remove from the Charlie and serve immediately.
Why cook this in Charlie
The Charlie Perforated Plancha Rack is perfect for shellfish. It supports delicate ingredients while allowing the charcoal heat and smoke to circulate underneath. You get all the flavour of cooking over charcoal without the risk of losing anything through the grill.
What to serve with it
Pile the dressed salad onto a serving platter and arrange the warm grilled prawns over the top. Serve with the cocktail sauce, pickled peppers and plenty of lemon wedges for squeezing over at the table. The contrast between the warm charcoal grilled prawns and the cold, crisp salad is what makes this dish so good.
This recipe was taught by Mark O'Brien during our American Steakhouse BBQ masterclass, where he showed how simple ingredients and live fire can turn a classic starter into something really memorable.