Grilled Shrimp-Stuffed Peppers

Grilled Shrimp-Stuffed Peppers

Tender, flavorful shrimp stuffed into a sweet little pepper, wrapped in bacon, and grilled to perfection. These flavorful little bites are great as a family dinner or as a crowd-pleasing appetizer. Best of all, you can prepare them up to 24 hours before serving! Just take them out 30 minutes before you plan to grill them.   

15-20 stuffed peppers
6 organic garlic cloves
1 pound organic mini sweet peppers
2 tablespoons Natural Grocers® Brand Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 pound frozen organic raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp, thawed
1 teaspoon Natural Grocers Brand Bulk Real Salt
1 teaspoon Natural Grocers Brand Bulk Organic Ground Black Pepper
1 teaspoon Natural Grocers Brand Bulk Organic Granulated Garlic
1 teaspoon Natural Grocers Brand Bulk Organic Granulated Onion
1 1⁄2 teaspoons Natural Grocers Brand Bulk Organic Smoked Paprika
Pinch or two of Natural Grocers Brand Bulk Organic Cayenne Pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil- or avocado oil-based mayonnaise
1 pound Natural Grocers Brand Hickory Smoked Uncured Bacon
  1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Cover a full baking sheet (18 x 26-inches) or two half baking sheets (13 x 18-inches) with parchment paper. Lay the bacon strips side-by-side on the parchment paper and bake to render the fat, until partially cooked (bacon should be opaque in color and pink along the edges), approximately 15 minutes. Once partially cooked, remove from the oven, lift the slices with tongs or a fork allowing the fat to drain off. Stack the slices on a cutting board and cut the bacon in half.
  2. Finely mince the garlic. Cut the stem end of each pepper about halfway off (be sure to leave enough for it to remain connected). From that cut, cut a slit down one side of the pepper almost to the tip. Use your hands to carefully open the pepper and remove the seeds and inner membrane. Be gentle so the peppers stay mostly intact. Repeat with the remaining peppers.
  3. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel and remove their tails.
  4. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Once hot add the olive oil, swirl the pan to coat, and add the shrimp and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are pink and just cooked through, 4-5 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a cutting board and chop. Return chopped shrimp to the pan and add all of the seasonings and mayonnaise. Stir well.  
  5. Stuff each pepper with a spoonful or two of the shrimp mixture; peppers should be full, but still able to almost close. Place one pepper on one half piece of bacon and pull the bacon around to meet at the top. Secure with a toothpick. Repeat with the remaining peppers.
  6. Transfer the peppers to the preheated grill. Close the lid and cook for 3-4 minutes per side. If you have flare ups, move the skewers to indirect heat. Once the bacon is cooked through and just crisp and the peppers are tender, remove them from the grill. Remove the toothpicks and serve immediately.

Recommended Beverage: Beer

Recommended Style: Pale Ale

Recommended Brand: Odell Pale Ale