Why grill the prawns with the shells on?

The heads and shells protect the meat from the fierce charcoal heat and add extra flavour as the prawns cook. The shells also pick up a gentle smokiness and light charring that suits the cocktail sauce.

How do I know when grilled prawns are cooked?

Cook to temperature rather than time. They are ready when the thickest part reaches 63°C (145°F) and the flesh is opaque, firm and pulls away easily from the shell. Turn them every minute or so for even charring.

How do I set up Charlie for grilling prawns?

Light about half a football of good quality lumpwood charcoal and bring Charlie to around 250°C (480°F), then push both vent knobs in to one inch open. Fit the Perforated Plancha Rack or grill rack on the lowest runners.

Can I make the cocktail sauce ahead?

Yes. The sauce is just ketchup, horseradish purée and Worcestershire sauce mixed until smooth, so it can be made earlier and kept covered in the fridge. Dress the salad just before serving so the baby gem stays crisp.

Outdoor Cooking & Charcoal Oven Recipes / Grill

Cooked in the Charlie Charcoal Oven

Charcoal Grilled Prawn Cocktail

Name: Charcoal Grilled Prawn Cocktail
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 6 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 1kg whole raw prawns, head and shell on; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 tbsp your favourite hot sauce; Zest of 1 lemon; Sea salt; 2 baby gem lettuces, finely sliced; 5g Chervil, chopped; 3g Tarragon, chopped; 1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil; Juice of ½ lemon; Sea salt; Freshly ground black pepper; 150g ketchup; 2 tbsp horseradish purée; 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 40g drained Pickled peppers; 1 extra lemon, cut into wedges

Prawn cocktail deserves a turn over charcoal. Grilling the prawns in their shells keeps them juicy and adds a little char before they meet the crisp salad and punchy cocktail sauce. Familiar flavours, with something extra from the fire.

Mark O'BrienChef

Grill

Prep15 minutes

Cook6 minutes

Serves4

DifficultyEasy

Oven temperature250°C (480°F)

RackPerforated Plancha Rack or the grill rack on the lower rack, just above the charcoal

CharcoalAbout half a football of good British lumpwood charcoal

Method

Charlie Oven setup

Use good British lumpwood charcoal. Build a fire using roughly half a football sized pile of charcoal placed directly on the fire grates.
Bring the Charlie Oven to around 250°C (480°F) and set it at that temperature by pushing both vent knobs in to one inch open.
Fit the Charlie Perforated Plancha Rack or use the standard grilling rack on the lowest runners directly above the charcoal.

Prepare the Prawns

Place the prawns into a large bowl.
Add the vegetable oil, hot sauce, lemon zest and a good 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 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 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 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.

More recipes

The cook

Mark O'Brien

Chef

Mark O’Brien was a finalist on MasterChef: The Professionals 2026 and the first Irish chef to reach the final. After more than a decade in top London restaurants, he now runs Snake Oil Barbecue in Margate, bringing serious chef skills to his love of American BBQ and cooking over fire.

More recipes by Mark O'Brien

Frequently asked questions

Why grill the prawns with the shells on?

The heads and shells protect the meat from the fierce charcoal heat and add extra flavour as the prawns cook. The shells also pick up a gentle smokiness and light charring that suits the cocktail sauce.
How do I know when grilled prawns are cooked?

Cook to temperature rather than time. They are ready when the thickest part reaches 63°C (145°F) and the flesh is opaque, firm and pulls away easily from the shell. Turn them every minute or so for even charring.
How do I set up Charlie for grilling prawns?

Light about half a football of good quality lumpwood charcoal and bring Charlie to around 250°C (480°F), then push both vent knobs in to one inch open. Fit the Perforated Plancha Rack or grill rack on the lowest runners.
Can I make the cocktail sauce ahead?

Yes. The sauce is just ketchup, horseradish purée and Worcestershire sauce mixed until smooth, so it can be made earlier and kept covered in the fridge. Dress the salad just before serving so the baby gem stays crisp.