Peel-and-Eat Boiled Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce
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Simmered in beer and Old Bay, these Maryland-style peel n’ eat boiled shrimp are easy to make and fun to eat.
A summer tradition my family loves is eating at seafood shacks, where we sit around brown paper-covered picnic tables and feast on peel-and-eat boiled shrimp and crab cakes. Even better is recreating this experience with a seafood boil in the backyard. Boiled shrimp are not only incredibly quick and easy to make but also so much fun to eat! My favorite way to prepare them is Maryland-style: simmered in beer and Old Bay seasoning with homemade cocktail sauce on the side. You’ll be amazed by how much cooking shrimp in the shell maximizes flavor and helps retain moisture (it’s also less work for the cook!). The shrimp pairs beautifully with Chesapeake corn, tomatoes, and basil or any number of summery corn dishes.
“This is the best Maryland-style spiced shrimp I have ever had and I’m from MD!”
What You’ll Need To Make Peel-And-Eat Boiled Shrimp With Cocktail Sauce
- Old Bay Seasoning: Adds a signature blend of bold, zesty spices that perfectly complements the shrimp. The primary spices in Old Bay are celery salt, red and black pepper, and paprika.
- Butter: Enhances the richness of the cooking liquid and adds a smooth flavor to the shrimp.
- Beer: Infuses the shrimp with a subtle malty flavor while helping to tenderize the meat.
- Water: Dilutes the beer slightly, creating a well-balanced poaching liquid for the shrimp.
- Extra Large Shrimp: The star of the dish, these meaty shrimp hold up well to boiling. I suggest frozen deveined shrimp, as most are cleaned and flash-frozen soon after being caught. Unless you’re right by the coast, the “fresh” shrimp in seafood cases is often previously frozen anyway, so it’s safer to buy frozen and thaw it yourself.
- Ketchup: Forms the sweet and tangy base of the cocktail sauce.
- Prepared Horseradish: Adds a sharp, spicy kick to balance the sweetness of the ketchup. Prepared horseradish can be found in the refrigerator aisle at your supermarket.
- Lemon Juice: Brightens the sauce with a touch of acidity.
- Cayenne Pepper: Adds a subtle heat for extra depth in the sauce.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Boiled Shrimp
Combine the beer, water, butter, and Old Bay in a large pot or Dutch oven.
Bring the broth to a boil.
Add the shrimp, turn the heat down to medium, and cover with a lid.
Cook the shrimp, for 3 to 6 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink but still tender. Stir once while they’re cooking.
Step 2: Make the Horseradish Sauce
In a medium bowl, combine the ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper.
Whisk to combine.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shrimp to a platter. Serve with beer, cocktail sauce and plenty of napkins.
Enjoy!
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Peel-and-Eat Boiled Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce
Simmered in beer and Old Bay, these Maryland-style peel n’ eat boiled shrimp are easy to make and fun to eat.
Ingredients
For the Shrimp
- 2½ tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup beer
- 1 cup water
- 2 pounds extra large shrimp (26-30 per pound), shell split and deveined, thawed if frozen
For the Cocktail Sauce
- 6 tablespoons ketchup
- ½ tablespoon prepared horseradish (see note)
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Pinch cayenne pepper
Instructions
For the Shrimp
- Combine the Old Bay, butter, beer, and water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the shrimp, turn the heat down to medium, and cover the pot with a lid. Cook, stirring once, for 3 to 6 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and just cooked through. Using a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp from the broth and transfer to a serving platter. Serve hot or cold with cocktail sauce.
For the Cocktail Sauce
- In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
- Note: Prepared horseradish can be found in the refrigerator aisle at your supermarket.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 220
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Sugar: 4 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 31 g
- Sodium: 344 mg
- Cholesterol: 259 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I found the shrimp to be a little bland. After numerous forays into this kind of dish, I have found that I like them best roasted. I just put the shrimp on a sheet pan, drizzle with a little olive oil, kosher salt and pepper, and roast at 400 for 8-10 minutes. I also like a zippier cocktail sauce, with 50/50 chili sauce and ketchup, and a dash of tabasco.
Can’t wait to get these tastie items to cook. Also don’t forget the steam shrimp one.I’ll be looking for new recipes to try thanks Linda
How can I stop the cocktail sauce from coagulation? It tasts great but I work at s restaurant and our cocktail sauce is in portion cups, and sometimes look like jello shots 🙁
Hi Ryan, I’ve never had this problem with cocktail sauce. I suggest trying a different recipe and see if that solves the problem. Hope that helps!
tried this today and it was good. it tasted a little bit salty for me so i just added 2 tbsp of sugar and it was perfect. thank you!
I havent tried yet. My friend told me about the recipe but she could not find the old bay. I found at fresh and easy. Cant wait to try it!
Super easy! I used garlic and herb Old Bay. Very tasty.
Made these last weekend for Mother’s Day. Love love love. so easy, and when you can find the shrimp on sale at the store it makes it all the more worth it.
im trying these this weekend for a cookout!! 🙂
Can you chill the shrimp after cooking them to sever them cold? Or is it best hot?
Hi Chevis, I think it’d be fine to serve it cold. Hope you enjoy!
I live in Old Bay country so had to try this one. This is not my go to recipe for shrimp. I made it with the cornbread muffins and your chespeake corn and tomatoes, what a hit!