Smoked Shrimp Tacos with Pickled Onions

I had never tried smoked shrimp before, but when we visited the Calumet Fisheries, they had it on their menu. So, we tried them, and I really liked the flavor. They smoked the shrimp with shells on, and apparently in their regular smokehouse, so I imagine to took awhile for the smoke flavor to penetrate the shell. The shrimp were nice and smoky, but a touch overcooked for my tastes.

I was convinced I could make them at home, but in a way that didn't leave the shrimp so overcooked. We are fortunate enough to have this really cool gadget called a "Smoking Gun", that allows us to cold smoke small items indoors. I used raw, shucked shrimp, lightly seasoned, and smoked them both before and after cooking. My original plan was to grill them, but weather prevented that. Next time, I think that might increase the smoky flavor even more. 

So, why pickled onions ? I recently read somewhere they were good on tacos, so I thought, why not ? And we always end up with onions left over, just about to go bad. This was a smart way to preserve them, and they make a great snack on their own. You could use these on almost any sandwich, or eat them straight out of the jar ! And it couldn't be simpler to do. 

Smoked Shrimp Tacos With Pickled Onions 

For the pickled onions: 

2 large red onions, sliced 

1 cup cider vinegar 

2 cups water 

3 tablespoons sugar 

1 tablespoon salt 

1 tablespoon pickling spice 

Place onions in a quart jar, cover with remaining ingredients, and give a jar a good shake. Let sit on the counter for one hour, or refrigerate. Can be kept refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. 

For the shrimp: 

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined 

1 teaspoon chili powder 

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon pepper 

1/2 teaspoon cumin

Toss shrimp in a large bowl with the spices. Cover, and use table smoker to infuse with smoke (we used applewood). Let sit in smoke until the smoke mostly dissipates. Place shrimp on skewers and grill, or, alternately, you can saute in a pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Return to the bowl and repeat smoking process. Serve with pickled onions, and your favorite salsa. 

I make salsa fresca for these kind of tacos, it's fresh, simple and delicious. 

Salsa Fresca: 

4 roma tomatoes, diced 

1 large jalapeno, diced 

1 small red onion, diced 

1 handful cilantro, chopped 

1 avocado, diced 

1 teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon pepper 

2 fresh limes

Mix all of the ingredients together, except the limes. Squeeze the lime juice over the top of the salsa, and toss. Enjoy !