Peel-and-Eat Boiled Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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!
You May Also Like
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
Powered by 
- 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.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
We LOVE this recipe. I used Guiness Nitro IPA instead of Corona to give it more of a hearty flavor and I only had salted, sweet cream butter on hand, and it didn’t make the shrimp too salty (which we were anticipating upon adding that to the Old Bay). I will definitely be making this again and again.
donthe shrimp have to be thawed or can they be frozen still
Hi Malik, I thaw them first.
I just add Old Bay and beer and butter. Outstanding, I have thrown them in frozen and just add 1 minute more to be cooked so delicious
Thanks for this great recipe!
Charlotte
Shrimp and sauce were fantastic! Just like being in Maryland. Kids liked it too. Will make again!!
Love this recipe! Making it tonight for the second time!!
I make this about once a month and we really pig out. So easy and so delicious! We lived in Maryland for six years and would get wonderful steamed shrimp there. Now that we live in Missouri, it’s nice to be able to reproduce that wonderful flavor again. I sometimes add onion slices to the liquid to add more flavor and also sprinkle on extra Old Bay just before serving. You may want to adjust the horseradish in the cocktail sauce to suit your taste as it can be a little hot depending on the horseradish you use.
i’m from Canada what here is equivalent to old bay
Hi Lila, Check out this recipe and you can make your own. It’s delicious on seafood! http://www.food.com/recipe/old-bay-seasoning-copycat-189447
You can buy Old Bay seasoning in Canada. It comes in a yellow container like Keenes Dry Mustard.
I just cooked this… not my cup of tea.:(
The shrimp came out great! I made a small batch because I had some leftover shrimp from another recipe. Will have to go buy more for a larger batch. thanks.
I first shared this with neighbors in our FL Gulf Coast community where shrimp is plentiful and actual FL natives with lots of shrimp experience exist. Served chilled with the cocktail sauce. What a hit! Eight people downed four pounds of these yummy tidbits in something under an hour. I am now the official peel-n-eat shrimp lady and have added a warm version served with drawn butter and a bit of fresh lemon juice.
As a born and bred Marylander, this recipe captures the taste and fun of Maryland style peel n eat shrimp! Perfect for a summer evening. Thank you Jennifer !!