Jamaican · appetizer

Jamaican Pepper Shrimp

Name: Jamaican Pepper Shrimp
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Jamaican
Ingredients: 1 lb whole small shrimp, unpeeled; 3 Scotch bonnet peppers, sliced; 4 cloves garlic, crushed; 3 sprigs thyme; 6 allspice berries; 2 tbsp butter; salt to taste; 1/4 cup water

Jamaican Pepper Shrimp reads umami 5.9, richness 5.4 and allium 4.3 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Jamaican appetizer, about 15 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 6.8 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 3.0 / 10
Sour & Bright — 0.0 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 2.1 / 10
Rich & Fat — 5.6 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 5.1 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 5.9 · Richness 5.4 · Allium 4.3 · Salinity 4.3 · Marine & Briny 4.1 · Heat 3.9 · Warm Spice 3.5 · Sweetness 2.6 · Earthy 2.0 · Herbaceous 1.9 · Bitterness 1.2 · Fruity 1.2 · Floral 1.2 · Nutty 0.6

What's in it (8)

1 lb whole small shrimp, unpeeled
3 Scotch bonnet peppers, sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
3 sprigs thyme
6 allspice berries
2 tbsp butter
salt to taste
1/4 cup water

Time & effort: about 15 min · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 147.5 kcal, 7.5 g protein, 5.4 g fat, 30.5 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (3 steps)

Simmer whole shrimp in a very small amount of water with butter, crushed garlic, sliced Scotch bonnet, thyme, allspice, and salt over high heat, tossing constantly, until the liquid evaporates and the shrimp are coated in a fiery red glaze.
The shrimp are traditionally cooked unpeeled so the spice penetrates the shell.
Serve in paper bags as a roadside snack, eating shell and all or peeling at the table.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Crawfish Fettuccine — Cajun/Creole
Crawfish Étouffée — Cajun/Creole
Crawfish Pie — Cajun/Creole
Gambas al Ajillo — Spanish
Mie Goreng (Indonesian Fried Noodles) — Indonesian

Keep reading: what umami, richness, allium mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →

Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.