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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Delicious! And so easy! My homemade cocktail sauce calls for chili sauce instead of ketchup, more horseradish, fresh squeezed lemon juice, a splash of Worcestershire sauce and optional hot sauce to taste.
Hi ! If I only use 1 pound of shrimp, do I leave the rest of ingredients the same? Thanks! Ally in NJ
I would actually cut all the ingredients in half. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn. I not sure where you got your Maryland recipe. The Old Bay and beer is right, but here we steam our shrimp. I use a Pilsner beer, and a whole lemon squeezed and just put the whole darn thing in the pot. For the shrimp cover with Old Bay and like yours when the shrimp are pink they’re done. One other thing, try adding a onion with the shrimp. Old Bay steamed onions are great too. Thanks.
I made these for New Years Eve and oh-my-gosh, they are the BEST boiled shrimp I have EVER made! (And I’m an experienced cook.) I am so happy to have found your website because every recipe of yours I have tried has turned out perfectly. I always follow recipes “to the letter” the first time and I have NEVER had to tweak any of yours. I also appreciate all the clear and concise instructions you always include. Thank you SO much for sharing your talent as a chef!
Hi Jenn,
I love your recipes, and since they never fail, I plan on making this for the first time as an appetizer for Christmas Day. I will cook the shrimp the day before and serve cold. Is there any reason I can’t peel and maybe remove the tail of the shrimp after cooking but before serving to make it less messy?
Thanks for your help.
Rhonda
Hi Rhonda, So glad you enjoy the recipes! It’s fine to peel the shrimp before serving. Merry Christmas!
tip for y’all after mixing sauce to your taste squeeze more lemon juice over top and some cracked pepper enjoy. and as Jimmy would say ” Good Appetite “
Jenn, just make this for the third time. Delicious! Our son doesn’t care much for bottled cocktail sauce, but loves cocktail sauce, when I prepare your recipe. And, we love the shrimp!
My question is: why use 1 cup water and 1 cup beer. Why not just beer?
I can’t find shrimp like you describe in Atlanta. Luckily, my neighbors gave me shrimp to try they buy frozen from Great Alaskan Seafood. It is frozen pink shrimp deveined with the shell on…..perfect for this dish! After they gave us the Great Alaskan Seafood shrimp, I tried your recipe and love it! The shrimp is tender and the recipe great! Thanks!
So glad you like it! I suggest part beer and part water because beer has a slightly bitter flavor and the water helps to temper that.
This recipe looks really good, but where will I find frozen split shelled and deveined? Especially if I want USA shrimp. I did email Biloxi Shrimp out of Miss.
Thank you.
Sunny Drohan
Hi Sunny, I haven’t had a problem finding the shrimp at my local grocery store. (I’m not certain they’re from the US though.) If you’re having a problem at your local stores, you may want to try a place like Whole Foods or a smaller market that specializes in seafood. Good luck!
Thank Jennifer. I will check with our Whole Foods here in Naples. I just don’t want to use Asian Shrimp. They don’t have our guide lines.
Sunny D.
I made these last weekend at our Lakehouse in Wisconsin. They were absolutely fantastic. Not only were they easy to prepare, but they were extremely flavorful and tender. They also keep very well as we ate them cold the next day for lunch! Another great recipe!!
Could you make this in an instant pot?
Hi Jale, I don’t have enough experience with an instant pot to tell you confidently whether or not this would work in one, so you may want to take a peek at these tips. It looks like they could be useful. Sorry I can’t be more helpful!