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.

Bowl of peel-and-eat boiled shrimp with cocktail sauce in from of Old Bay Seasoning.

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!”

Jenny

What You’ll Need To Make Peel-And-Eat Boiled Shrimp With Cocktail Sauce

ingredients for boiled shrimp
  • 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.

Beer broth in a Dutch oven.

Bring the broth to a boil.

Dutch oven of boiling broth.

Add the shrimp, turn the heat down to medium, and cover with a lid.

adding shrimp to broth

Cook the shrimp, for 3 to 6 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink but still tender. Stir once while they’re cooking.

boiled shrimp in broth

Step 2: Make the Horseradish Sauce

In a medium bowl, combine the ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper.

horseradish sauce ingredients in bowl

Whisk to combine.

whisked horseradish sauce

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shrimp to a platter. Serve with beer, cocktail sauce and plenty of napkins.

Bowl of boiled shrimp with a container of Old Bay seasoning.

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.

Servings: 4 to 6
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 5 Minutes
Total Time: 20 Minutes

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

  1. 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

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
  2. Note: Prepared horseradish can be found in the refrigerator aisle at your supermarket.

Pair with

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • 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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Comments

  • Hi. Have a quick question: after you put the shrimp in, do you have to let it come back to a boil before you set the timer for 3-6 minutes?

    • — Suzanne Joiner on September 26, 2023
    • Reply
    • No need to let it come back to a boil – set the time right after you’ve put the shrimp in the pot and turned down the heat. Enjoy!

      • — Jenn on September 27, 2023
      • Reply
  • This is the best Maryland-style spiced shrimp I have ever had and I’m from MD! I have never seen butter in a shrimp boil recipe – and I’ve been making it for decades. I made both your shrimp and cocktail sauce recipes as written last night. My husband and I devoured it. The butter is next level and the cocktail sauce is perfect. Thank you so much for sharing this spectacular recipe!

    • — Jenny on August 21, 2023
    • Reply
  • Delicious and super easy!

    • — Laura Medill on July 3, 2023
    • Reply
  • This recipe is outstanding and super easy and simple household ingredients combine well the buttery flavor or the best.

    • — Jay Patel on April 14, 2023
    • Reply
  • excellent and easy way to boil shrimp. I only boiled 1 pound of shrimp with the same amount of ingredients for the recipe and they still came out well.

    • — Bruce on February 24, 2023
    • Reply
  • I only made the shrimp, not the sauce, but OMG it’s amazing! I’ve been looking for a good recipe for peel and eat at home. This one is amazing! I saved it and will use it again and again!

    • — Anna on February 23, 2023
    • Reply
  • Simple and delicious, it will be my go to recipe from now on.

    • — Mark on February 12, 2023
    • Reply
  • This is our go-to recipe!! Perfect.

    • — Heather on January 3, 2023
    • Reply
  • Followed the recipe to a tee. Simply put, the best boiled shrimp recipe I have made at home and better than the majority of “seafood shacks” I have eaten at.

    • — thesurveyor on December 2, 2022
    • Reply
  • Just delicious! I didn’t add, omit, or change a thing! My husband raved about the shrimp & the cocktail sauce! Best he’s ever had!… he has travelled far & wide and has eaten his fair share of shrimp! An awesome addition to my repertoire. Thank you!

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