Grilled Bacon Wrap Shrimp Stuffed with Asadero Cheese & Basil

Four ingredients. That’s all it takes to get these smoky, cheese-stuffed shrimp on the table. Each one gets butterflied, loaded with a strip of melty asadero cheese and a fresh basil leaf, then wrapped tight in bacon and thrown on a hot grill.

Asadero is a Mexican melting cheese with a mild, buttery flavor that goes stringy and gooey over high heat. It’s the right pick here because it melts inside the shrimp without running out the way mozzarella might. Look for it in the Hispanic dairy section of most grocery stores.

Butterfly the shrimp deep enough to lay flat but not so deep that they split in two. The cheese and basil sit in that pocket, and the bacon wrap holds everything together. Use a toothpick to secure the bacon seam so it doesn’t unravel on the grill.

Chef Tips

• Use large or jumbo shrimp. Anything smaller and there’s no room for the stuffing.
• Partially cook the bacon in the microwave for 30 seconds before wrapping. Raw bacon takes longer to crisp than shrimp takes to cook, and overcooked shrimp turns rubbery.
• Grill over direct high heat and flip once. The bacon fat will cause flare-ups, so keep an eye on them and move to a cooler zone if flames get aggressive.
• No grill? Pan-broil in a cast iron skillet or run them under the oven broiler.

Variations

• Swap asadero for Oaxaca cheese or Monterey Jack if you can’t find it.
• Add a thin slice of jalapeno alongside the basil for a spicy kick.
• Brush with a garlic-lime butter glaze during the last minute of grilling.