Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Drunken Jerk Prawns
Bourbon and jerk seasoning give these prawns a bold flavor that makes a small plate feel like an occasion. The sweet, spicy sauce is part of every bite. Leave a little room on your plate to catch it, and enjoy the prawns while they're still hot.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 7 min
- Total
- 12 min
- Original yield
- Serves 2
- Ingredients
- 7 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Appetizers · Appetizers & snacks · Main course
- Primary protein
- Seafood
- Cuisine
- American
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 30 minutes or less
A few quick notes
1. Keep the tails on
Peel the prawns, but leave the tails attached as directed. They make the prawns easier to turn in the skillet and give you a neat little handle when serving.
2. A short marinade is enough
The prawns only need a brief chill in the bourbon, lemon juice, and jerk seasoning. Don’t stretch it out here, since the recipe is built around a quick soak before cooking.
3. Save the extra marinade
Don’t tip out the marinade after the prawns go into the skillet. You’ll pour some of it back in once they’ve started turning pink, where it reduces quickly into a coating sauce.
Get to know the ingredients
Jumbo prawns
Use jumbo prawns and devein them if they need it. The shells come off before cooking, while the tails stay on.
Bourbon in the marinade
Bourbon goes into the quick marinade with lemon juice and jerk seasoning. You can use whiskey, rum or brandy instead, or leave out the bourbon.
Butter and olive oil together
The oil and unsalted butter go into the skillet together before the prawns. Let the butter melt over medium-high heat, then add the prawns and keep the leftover marinade aside.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 2. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 4 steps completeMake room for Drunken Jerk Prawns
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
The last little job
Once the prawns are cooked through and the sauce has reduced, lift them out of the skillet and scatter over the chopped parsley. They’re meant to be served while still warm.
A little more help as you go
Watch the color change
The prawns start in the skillet, cook until pink, then get flipped before the reserved marinade goes in. That color change is your cue to move to the next part.
Expect quick caramelising
After the reserved marinade is added, the sauce reduces almost right away. That fast reduction is what lightly caramelises the prawns, so stay close to the skillet.
A few questions you might have
Do I use all of the leftover marinade in the pan?
No. After the prawns start cooking, pour about ¼ cup of the leftover marinade over them. The recipe doesn’t call for adding the rest.
Should the prawns be fully peeled?
Peel off the shells, but leave the tails on. Also devein the prawns first if they need it.
Can I make this without bourbon?
Yes, leave out the bourbon for an alcohol-free version. You can use chicken or vegetable broth if you want a saucier consistency.
When are the prawns done?
They cook for a few minutes until pink, then get flipped and cooked with some reserved marinade until cooked through. The sauce should reduce quickly and coat them a bit.
When does the parsley go on?
Add the chopped parsley right at the end, after the prawns come out of the skillet. It’s a garnish, not part of the marinade or pan sauce.
Any more cooking tips?
You can find the recipe for Jamaican Jerk seasoning here. Feel free to use and type of whiskey, rum, or brandy in place of the bourbon. If you’d like to go alcohol free, simply omit the bourbon. If you want a saucier consistency use chicken or vegetable broth. In the fridge this recipe will keep for 3 – 4 days in an airtight container, so feel free to make ahead of time. You can freeze the shrimp from this recipe for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Just allow the dish to thaw overnight in the fridge before cooking.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: jocooks.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.