Brine first, grill fast.

That’s the short answer: a quick soak in salt and sugar water, then a screaming hot grill for just 2-3 minutes per side.

The brine is the secret weapon. Dissolve about a tablespoon of salt and a teaspoon of sugar in a cup of cold water, toss your shrimp in for 15 minutes, then pat them bone-dry. The salt helps the shrimp hold onto moisture, and the sugar gives you that nice char without burning. Skip this step and you’re one bad flip away from rubber.

Use big shrimp (16-20 per pound). Small ones cook too fast and go from raw to eraser in a blink. Thread them loosely on skewers—leave a tiny gap between each so heat can circulate. And for the love of god, get your grill ripping hot. You want those direct flames to sear the outside before the inside has a chance to dry out.

Pull them