Smoked Spicy Shrimp and Sausage Skewers

Watch Me Make It

These spicy shrimp and sausage skewers pair Cajun-seasoned shrimp with smoked sausage and a hot honey butter finish. The combination is savory, smoky, spicy, and lightly sweet, with the butter adding a glossy finish to the shrimp.

Keeping the shrimp and sausage together on compact skewers makes them easier to handle on and off the smoker. They are a good option for a hot seafood appetizer or a casual cookout spread.

Why This Recipe Works

Hot honey contains sugar, so the Cajun honey butter works best as a late-cook glaze rather than an early coating. It has time to melt over the shrimp and add flavor without excessive darkening.

Ingredients

• uncooked peeled shrimp
• smoked sausage cut into half inch thick discs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
• 4 ounces Irish butter
• 2 tablespoons hot honey

How to Make It

Place uncooked tail-on shrimp outside of their shell in a bowl. Make sure shrimp are deveined and mix in olive oil and Cajun seasoning.

Mix well and place in fridge for 10 minutes. Slice smoked sausage into half inch discs.

Soak skewers in water for 30 minutes. Take the sausage and place on a skewer.

Skewer the sausage inside the shrimp, about three per skewer. Place skewers on a wire rack.

Sprinkle some more seasoning on top if desired. Preheat smoker to 250 degrees.

Place skewers into preheated smoker. Cook for about 40 to 45 minutes, keeping an eye on them as cooking times may vary.

For Cajun honey butter, mix Irish butter, Cajun seasoning, and honey together. Put Cajun honey butter on smoker to melt and combine.

Brush Cajun honey butter on the shrimp about 10 minutes before serving. Remove shrimp once they hit 145 degrees and serve hot.

Tips and Variations

Thread the sausage through the curve of each shrimp to help keep the skewers compact and prevent the ingredients from spinning loosely. Use shrimp of similar size on each skewer when possible so they cook at a more even pace.

Soaking wooden skewers helps reduce scorching during the smoker cook. For doneness, check the thickest part of a shrimp with an instant-read thermometer, avoiding the skewer and sausage; opaque shrimp with a firm, gently curved shape are helpful visual cues, while tightly curled shrimp can indicate overcooking.

The extra Cajun seasoning is optional, so use it lightly. Both the seasoning blend and smoked sausage can already contribute plenty of salt and spice.

Serving Ideas

Serve these skewers with grilled corn on the cob, grilled cherry tomatoes, or other simply grilled vegetables. A light arugula salad is a fresh optional contrast to the rich butter and sausage.

Spicy Shrimp and Sausage Skewers

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 lb uncooked peeled shrimp
• 1 Link smoked sausage cut into half inch thick discs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
• 4 ounces Irish butter
• 2 tablespoons hot honey

Instructions

• Place uncooked tail-on shrimp outside of their shell in a bowl.
• Make sure shrimp are deveined and mix in olive oil and Cajun seasoning.
• Mix well and place in fridge for 10 minutes.
• Slice smoked sausage into half inch discs.
• Soak skewers in water for 30 minutes.
• Take the sausage and place on a skewer.
• Skewer the sausage inside the shrimp, about three per skewer.
• Place skewers on a wire rack.
• Sprinkle some more seasoning on top if desired.
• Preheat smoker to 250 degrees.
• Place skewers into preheated smoker.
• Cook for about 40 to 45 minutes, keeping an eye on them as cooking times may vary.
• For Cajun honey butter, mix Irish butter, Cajun seasoning, and honey together.
• Put Cajun honey butter on smoker to melt and combine.
• Brush Cajun honey butter on the shrimp about 10 minutes before serving.
• Remove shrimp once they hit 145 degrees and serve hot.