Butterflied “Grilled” Shrimp (Camarones Zarandeados)

Restaurante Bar Fernando, a casual outdoor eatery in the town of San Vicente in the state of Nayarit, Mexico, specializes in simple but expertly grilled seafood. With this recipe, food writer and recipe developer Paola Briseño-González replicates the restaurant’s deliciously briny, savory camarones zarandeados, or butterflied grilled shrimp. For ease and to make cooking doable no matter the season, she uses a cast-iron skillet. The pan’s steady, even heat delivers charring that mimics the smokiness of an outdoor grill. Before you toss the shrimp into the skillet, it’s a good idea to turn on the hood and/or open a window, as searing generates some smoke. It’s worth seeking out head-on, shell-on shrimp for this, as they are wonderfully succulent and full of flavor. If, however, they’re not an option, standard shell-on shrimp work nicely. So that butterflying isn’t too laborious, be sure to use ones that are at least 21/25 in size (the numbers indicate there are 21 to 25 shrimp per pound); 16/20s work, too. Serve with lots of napkins and ice-cold beer.