Shrimp Cocktail

By Eric Kim

Shrimp Cocktail
Beatriz Da Costa for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Susie Theodorou
Total Time
15 minutes
Rating
4(802)
Notes
Read community notes

This method for a beloved appetizer maximizes flavor by gently poaching shrimp in a deeply seasoned broth of salt, chile powder and celery seeds. Rather than wash away all the spices with a rinse or a plunge in an ice bath, you stop the cooking by pouring ice directly into the hot bath. For dipping, go for a classic cocktail sauce with the sharp brightness of lemon and horseradish, or a simple garlicky dill butter, which makes the shrimp taste somehow of lobster, or a comforting, warmly spiced honey mustard, because you always need a creamy option. Enjoy the plump shrimp with your favorite sauce — or all three.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings

    For the Shrimp

    • 2pounds large (21- to 25-count) shrimp, shelled and deveined
    • Kosher salt
    • 8cups ice cubes (about 2 pounds), plus more for serving
    • ¼cup mild red chile powder, gochugaru or sweet paprika with a dash of ground cayenne
    • 1tablespoon celery seeds
    • 2lemons

    For the Cocktail Sauce

    • ½cup ketchup
    • 3tablespoons lemon juice
    • 2tablespoons prepared horseradish
    • 1large garlic clove, finely grated
    • Kosher salt and black pepper
    • Tabasco sauce

    For the Garlicky Dill Butter

    • ½cup unsalted butter
    • 2large garlic cloves, finely grated
    • ¼packed cup finely chopped fresh dill (from 1 small bunch)
    • 2tablespoons lemon juice
    • 1teaspoon granulated sugar
    • Kosher salt and black pepper

    For the Curried Honey Mustard

    • ¼cup mayonnaise
    • 2tablespoons Dijon mustard
    • 2tablespoons honey
    • 1tablespoon lemon juice
    • 1teaspoon curry powder
    • ½teaspoon ground cayenne
    • Kosher salt and black pepper
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

317 calories; 19 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 24 grams protein; 739 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the shrimp: In a large bowl, toss together the shrimp and 2 teaspoons salt, and set aside. Keep the 8 cups ice nearby, either in another large bowl or directly in the icemaker tray of your refrigerator.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, fill a large pot with 8 cups water, ½ cup salt, the chile powder and celery seeds, and bring to a boil. Remove the pot from the heat and add the shrimp to the hot liquid, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through and no longer translucent on the inside, 2 to 3 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Immediately dump the ice into the pot to stop the cooking, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is cool to warm or room temperature, about 1 minute. Pour the contents of the pot into a colander in the sink, then transfer the drained, celery seed-dotted shrimp to a large platter and refrigerate until ready to eat. Cut the lemons into quarters lengthwise, then cut each piece in half crosswise.

  4. Step 4

    Make the cocktail sauce: In a small bowl, stir the ketchup, lemon juice, horseradish and garlic to combine, and season to taste with salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce.

  5. Step 5

    Make the garlicky dill butter: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat or in the microwave. Add the garlic, dill, lemon juice and sugar to a small bowl and stir in the hot melted butter. Season generously with salt and pepper.

  6. Step 6

    Make the curried honey mustard: In a small bowl, stir the mayonnaise, mustard, honey, lemon juice, curry powder and cayenne to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. All three sauces can be stored in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. (The dill butter will need to be reheated in the microwave or on the stove over medium-low heat until liquid again.)

  7. Step 7

    To serve, cover a large platter with cubed or crushed ice, top with the poached and cooled shrimp and scatter the lemon pieces all over. Serve with one or more of the dipping sauces on the side.

Ratings

4 out of 5
802 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

Donna Gay

Sounds yummy. However, as a Louisianaian who makes stovetop boiled shrimp regularly, I have one suggestion. Always cook your shrimp unpeeled, then peel them afterwards. If you are cooking them in a sauce or butter this isn’t practical but it works in clean recipes. Shrimp shrink substantially while cooking. Large succulent shrimp on a platter are much more appealing and tasty than shriveled ones. They seem to maintain tenderness as well.

Martha

For the retro cocktail sauce I prefer cocktail sauce, the ketchupy kind, instead of regular ketchup. I think it makes a more interesting product. I also add more horseradish, homemade when fresh horseradish is available, and ditch the Tabasco. Tabasco just brings heat and not much else. I prefer the sinus clearing horseradish for my heat.

Allison

Not ketchup! The other Heinz product - Chilie Sauce.

Peter Fenwood

The piece de resistance for my cocktail sauce is the addition of chopped celery leaves. There, my secret is out.

Lisa

That cocktail sauce sounds great but would be elevated with a dash of Worcestershire sauce.

kmccann18

I love the idea of multiple sauces - so stupid simple and clearly I was stuck in a rut! I much prefer a quick roast for shrimp cocktail - peel leaving tails. Ross with salt and a bit of olive oil. Let sit for 10 mins. Roast at 400 spread out on a baking sheet for 6 - 8 minutes and let cool. Love the texture - firm but not crispy, intense flavor, and not wet shrimp in wet sauce so sauce sticks better too!

Mary from Terry, MS

I prefer to oven roast them, too. It enhances the flavor, unlike boiling them which dilutes flavor. (And I'd never serve cooked shrimp on a pile of ice which makes them wet.) My tip is to preheat the sheetpan in a 400 degree oven before you dump the shrimp on it and spread them out. They immediately start sizzling and cooking.

Ludovic

I am with Ina Garten on this one - always roast your shrimp. Dry with paper towels, toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper and 8 minutes on a sheet pan in a 400 degree oven. Dassit. No poached shrimp can stand up to that.

Michael Judge

Great recipe and I agree with my friend from Louisiana; cook with shell on.

Sean Dell

Really great, and the key move here is to cool the cooking liquid with the ice. Works a treat. One further tip. When you peel the shrimp, put the shells into the cooking liquid. The shells give a richness to the stock that is delicious. Simmer the shells for a couple of minutes, then scoop them out before putting in the shrimp. Both the dill/butter and particularly the honey/mustard sauce are fantastic.

Viv

Consider adding chopped parsley leaves and a tablespoon of gin to the cocktail sauce.

garyhere

forget the sugar. why does everything have to be sweet?

Tough Shopper

I agree with the above chef. I use a recipe of about four parts horseradish to one part ketchup, and that’s the way I like it.

Jeff

I would think if the recipe indicates you cook an ingredient that it's safe to say it's raw.

CFXK

Recipes don't specify beef, pork, chicken, lamb, fish, or other shellfish as raw, either.

D C

Agree with others that the curry dip was surprisingly good. Favorite among our party guests. Also did a chimichurri sauce which was also popular. I admit to roasting the shrimp per Ina Garten. I think grilled shrimp is also a great way to go.

Maggie Bee

Another way to cook the shrimp is to season well with salt, chile powder (I use Korean gochujaru flakes), celery seed (or Old Bay) and put in a ziplock bag with at least a tablespoon of butter and perhaps a clove or two of roasted garlic. Sous vide for 30 minutes at 130F, then chill the sealed bag in a bowl of ice water. The sealed bag can then be refrigerated. I usually toss the shrimp and "sous jus" into a hot frying pan for a brief minute if I want them in a hot dish.

Nicole B

I love Eric’s spice tip in those recipes. Savory with a hint of spice. My guests raved about the flavor. I will never buy cocktail sauce again!

Martha

The shrimp were the hit of the party so this will be my go to recipe. I used the recipe for the red sauce but I think I will use my own recipe the next time.

Anne-Marie

Cooking the shrimp this way is a game changer, it adds so much flavor and you could easily enjoy these shrimp solo. That said, don't skip the curry honey mustard! Unique and delish.

EM

Made for lunch on Christmas Day. Followed the recipe exactly and was underwhelmed. I prefer the oven roasted approach (Ina Garten et al.). Won't make this again.

mittenhead

I made the whole shebang, including sauces, the day before. I think the day in the refrigerator helped the flavors of the sauces. It was ready for my guests, no prep needed. Only change: I cooked the shrimp shells-on.

grant

Made exactly to the recipe and it was great. Those who want to use the oven should use a different recipe (Ina Garten’s). If you want that traditional but somehow elevated shrimp cocktail, this is it. I used 16/18 per pound shrimp which felt luxurious yet approachable to grab for a dip and bite. The curry dejonaise is amazing. I used store bought but fresh made cocktail sauce. I did not make the butter sauce.

Jennipher

I added a quarter cup of onion powder to the water, along with the directed ingredients. It was a tasty addition. I’ve made this recipe three times in the last month, it’s become a thing

Judith

So delicious and easy to prepare. Definitely a keeper recipe and go-to appetizer for a crowd.

Name Patricia

Be careful when adding salt. Cut amount on raw shrimp before cooking. Cut amount added to water.

Bob Boyer

My mother's family is from the Eastern shore of Maryland and goes back to the mid-1600s. The family's history through the mid-1900s consisted mostly of Chesapeake Bay watermen and Eastern shore potato farmers. I went to many crab and shrimp feasts and they always steamed both with some form of Old Bay or Wye River Crab House style seasoning. However, the technique in this recipe is an excellent idea that I look forward to employing at my next opportunity.

Colleen

I used 1/4 cup of salt in the boil and 2 Tbs of Old Bay seasoning (as I didn’t have celery seed), and 1 tsp of sweet paprika. Boiled for 2 minutes as directed and lifted the shrimp into a bowl of ice, tossing until the ice melt, then refrigerated. I made the cocktail sauce as stated, but l left out the red pepper as some folks in my tribe don’t do spicy.

GaryT

May I also suggest that you try lime juice instead of lemon juice in the cocktail sauce? Or half lemon and half lime? Give it a shot. It's just a slightly different twist in flavor.

Chris B.

What about substituting celery salt for the salt & celery seeds?

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