Ingredients
24 strips thick-cut bacon
1/4 cup minced onion
1/2 cup rauchbier
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup ketchup
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
1 teaspoon adobo sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
48 toothpicks
Preparation
1. Cook the bacon (working in batches if necessary) in a large skillet or on a griddle over medium heat until halfway done, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. (Drain off fat between batches.)
2. Transfer 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease to a small saucepan. Add the onion and cook over medium heat until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the beer, bring to a boil over high heat and cook until almost evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 10 seconds. Add the ketchup, chipotle, adobo sauce, sugar, mustard and onion powder. Cook over low heat 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
3. Toss the shrimp with 1/4 cup of the barbecue sauce.
4. Use 2 toothpicks to secure each piece of bacon to a piece of shrimp so it doesn’t curl while cooking. Wrap the bacon corkscrew-style around each piece of shrimp, securing it with the toothpicks.
5. If using a grill, preheat to medium-high. Cook the shrimp, turning occasionally to cook the bacon evenly, until the bacon is crisp and the shrimp is pink and curled, 9 to 10 minutes total. If using a broiler, line a baking sheet with foil and place the bacon-wrapped shrimp on the prepared pan. Broil the shrimp on low 7 minutes. Increase broiler to high and broil, turning once, until the bacon is crisp and the shrimp is pink and curled, about 6 minutes more.
MAKE-AHEAD TIP: Skewer these mini-kebabs in advance and cook onsite, or cook them completely beforehand and reheat them quickly on the grill.