Australian BBQ Prawns Recipe and Free Printable

"Australia is the world's largest island, surrounded, as it is, by seas and three oceans: the Pacific on the east, the Indian on the west, and the Southern Ocean on the south. Despite so much coastline the seafood industry here has often walked a fine line to a fragile ecosystem. As early as the 1800s there were reports of the waters around Sydney being overfished...Long before all this, Australian First Peoples used the seasons, weather, and naturally occurring indicators in the environment to sustainably source seafood."

- Chef Ross Dobson

I hope you're ready for another fun, kid-friendly experience in the kitchen! Today, we're going to be sharing a simple recipe for making Australian BBQ prawns.

Learn more about cooking with kids.

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This recipe for Australian barbecue prawns is from Australia: The Cookbook by Chef Ross Dobson.

We've been having such a great time learning about Oceania, crustaceans, and how they do it in Australia, that we've made a free recipe with pictures for you to try at home. You can find it down at the bottom or use the table of contents above.

We also learned a cool way to devein prawns/shrimp that we've never used before. No more slicing down the back and digging out the vein by any means necessary. Thanks to the method we learned in the cookbook, we simply lifted them out with an everyday household item. You'll see what we mean below. It's pretty cool!

So let's get this party started.

Are Shrimp and Prawns the Same?

The common names shrimp and prawn are often used interchangeably. There are also regional differences to be aware of. Taxonomically speaking, there is no clear organization with respect to these common names and their taxonomic classification.

As a matter of fact, there are many species we refer to as shrimp that aren't even in the same order. The above image is of our kids' taxonomy puzzle and it's great for exploring these kinds of topics further. We also like exploring the book Cabinet of Curiosities for more about classification.

However, in the context of species that humans commonly eat, when people say shrimp, they are generally referring to species that fall under the decapod suborder pleocyemata, while prawns are of the suborder dendrobranchiata. Prawns are generally considered larger than shrimp and have different gill structures. You may also hear that prawns are mostly freshwater species while shrimp are marine organisms.

Again, regional variations can also contradict this. In Oregon, spot prawns (or shrimp) are elusive but amongst the largest shrimp found on Earth. They live in the ocean.

In Australia, they don't use the common name shrimp. As Chef Ross Dobson discusses in Australia: The Cookbook:

"Prawns have come to symbolize us, and I don't mean a cliché about throwing a shrimp on the barbie. For one thing, we don't call them shrimp here. Such a diminutive term would be an insult to us and our prawns. They are big, colourful, and sweet creatures."

What Do Prawns Taste Like?

You may not notice a difference in taste between shrimp and prawns. However, especially if you eat them regularly, you may notice that freshwater prawns have a sweeter taste while shrimp have a saltier flavor.

What is Typical Australian Barbecue?

In this cookbook, you'll find recipes for Grilled Surf Fish, Barbecued Rock Lobster, Barbecued Chicken, Aussie Chinese Barbecue Pork, and a modern take on the traditional Australian Mixed Grill recipe, this one consisting of T-bone steaks, tenderloin steaks, and lamb cutlets.

The barbecue prawns recipe we're sharing with you today is what Chef Ross Dobson calls the "quintessential Aussie barbecue food."

Australian BBQ Prawns Recipe

This recipe is short and sweet, and just in time for the warmer weather we've been enjoying.

You will notice that most of the time for this recipe is spent exploring the anatomy of prawns, as well as learning how to devein and peel them. We used floss picks to devein ours but you can also use toothpicks. That's just what we had on hand at the time. Feel free to give your kids a demonstration and model techniques as they make their way through the process.

We used wild-caught 16/18 prawns in our recipe, which is what you would consider equivalent to the size of jumbo shrimp in a restaurant here in the U.S. When purchasing direct from a fish market or fisherman, you may notice they're sold according to how many would equal a pound. So 16/18 means that 16-18 of these prawns would be equivalent to a pound in weight.

I've also seen similar references for purchasing by weight in grams, depending on where you live.

Since this recipe contains prawns, it would be prudent to familiarize yourself with shellfish allergies, if you haven't already done so.

Ingredients

• prawns
• salt
• lemon

1. Gather Recipe & Equipment and Prepare a Clean Surface

Before getting started, always wash your hands with soap and water. You will also need a clean surface on which to work.

2. Gather Ingredients and Turn on the Grill

Bring the bowl with prawns to your clean workstation. If your prawns still have their heads, they'll look a bit different than ours.

This is also a good time to turn on your grill on high so that it's nice and hot when you're ready. Our kids enjoy adding the wood pellets to our grill before it's turned on.

3. Explore Prawn Anatomy Before Making BBQ Prawns

Feel free to remove the heads now either by hand or using a knife. Kids may want to dissect a prawn or learn how to peel one while it is raw. This is a great opportunity for a brief lesson but keep in mind that this recipe calls for them to keep their shell until after they are cooked.

Also, keep your eyes on the time. We were able to get our prawns on the grill in under 30 minutes from the time we removed them from the fridge. Don't leave them sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.

If you've been exploring life cycles with your kids, you may get a kick out of this phases of a peeled prawn visualization our kids created as they were exploring their anatomy.

4. Find the Location of the Vein (Digestive Tract)

You'll want to devein the prawns prior to grilling them. Once the head has been removed, you may notice the vein poking out of the top of the prawn.

If you don't see the vein just yet, that's okay, we'll find it in the next step. It typically runs down the backside of the prawn.

5. Insert the Toothpick into the Prawn's Side

Insert a toothpick or floss pick into the side of the prawn, between shell segments, and near the portion of the body where the head used to be. You don't want to puncture the vein so visualize where you think it is and aim for underneath it.

6. Lift The Vein Out of the Body

Lift the toothpick. If it's positioned correctly, you should see the vein on top of the toothpick as it exits the prawn. Once you have enough to grab, use your fingers to remove it completely and discard it. Place deveined prawns in a bowl.

When finished, wash your hands with soap and water.

7. Check the Grill for Making BBQ Prawns

Check the grill to see if it's ready. Our last grill died and we recently replaced it with this pellet grill.

8. Add Salt to the Pan for Australian BBQ Prawns

Spread the salt around the pan in preparation for the prawns.

9. Place the Pan with Salt on the Grill

Place the pan on the grill. Close the grill and allow the pan to heat up.

Once, the prawns were placed inside, the kids enjoyed watching their appearance of them change as they were barbecued.

10. Bring the Prawns to the Grill

Don't forget the tongs and a grill mit.

11. Place Prawns on the Pan

When the salt begins to smoke, use the tongs to place the prawns on the pan.

12. Cook BBQ Prawns for 5 Minutes

While you're waiting for the prawns to barbecue, it's an excellent time to continue exploring the cookbook.

13. Flip The Prawns Over

14. Cook Prawns for 5 More Minutes

Cook the prawns for five minutes or until they appear pink and are curled. The minimum temperature of cooked prawns should be 120 °F. Remove the pan from the grill.

Don't forget to turn off the grill.

15. Slice the Lemon

Use a clean cutting board and knife to slice the lemon into wedges.

16. Enjoy These Australian BBQ Prawns with Lemon

Having already practiced how to peel a prawn while they're uncooked means kids will be able to get started on peeling them right away once they've cooled.

Summary of Australian BBQ Prawns Recipe

That's a wrap for this simple and delicious Australian barbecue prawns recipe. Australia: The Cookbook has been a fascinating read. We've enjoyed exploring Australian cuisine and history from three different periods. The landscapes and food photography have made this book a welcome addition to our cookbook collection as well as our geography and history resources. With over 350 recipes, there's plenty to keep us coming back one meal at a time.

If you like this recipe, you'll want to check out stewed rabbit, pork and shrimp dumplings and Bahian chicken stew.

Free Australian BBQ Prawns Recipe for Pre-Readers and Up

Don't forget to grab your free kid-friendly Australian BBQ Prawns printable recipe above. Children can gather ingredients using the ingredient list and prepare the meal using the step-by-step recipe cards, with assistance as needed.

The cards are easy to use, include pictures, and encourage confidence and independence in the kitchen. They also make an excellent addition to your Montessori continent box for Oceania.

More in the Kitchen

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• Ethiopian Sambusas
• Chocolate Bison Chili
• West African Jollof Rice

More Montessori Oceania Resources

• Montessorikiwi (Get a 16% Off Coupon)
• Waseca Biomes (Get a $15 Off Coupon)