I love Peel and Eat Shrimp! It’s one of my favorite appetizers to order when I’m at the shore. And it’s one of the easiest appetizers I make at home for friends and family.
There is something magical about shrimp and everyone’s eyes light up at the mention of having shrimp for dinner. And one of the easiest ways to wow your friends and family is to serve up a platter of Peel and Eat Shrimp.
Whether you serve them warm or cold they’ll definitely be a crowd pleaser and will more than likely be better than those you get at your favorite tavern or restaurant.
What Ingredients do I need to make Restaurant Style Peel and Eat Shrimp?
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make my Skillet Chicken Gumbo. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
WHAT KIND OF SHRIMP SHOULD I USE TO MAKE SHRIMP COCKTAIL?
The biggest issue with making a really outstanding peel and eat shrimp at home and at restaurants is the type of shrimp that are used.
The best shrimp to use for peel and eat shrimp are wild-caught in the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast or the Pacific Coast of the United States. You can get amazing shrimp from Australian waters and from parts of the European Union, but they’re not readily available in the US.
I’m not a fan of farmed shrimp and definitely stay away from shrimp coming from Asian or Indian waters.
For Peel and Eat Shrimp I like to use 21-25 count (per pound) or 26-30 count (per pound) shrimp. Any smaller and it’s really not worth the effort.
How Do I make Peel and Eat Shrimp?
Peel and Eat Shrimp aka U-Peel Shrimp couldn’t be easier to make and really comes down to using a few ingredients to take shrimp from simply good to Ah-mazing.
The first step in preparing delicious restaurant-style peel and eat shrimp is preparing the liquid you’re going to cook the shrimp in. The right cooking liquid makes all the difference when it comes to creating perfectly delicious peel and eat shrimp.
- Add the seasonings, lemon and beer to the water.
- Bring the liquid to a boil and add the shrimp.
- Cook the shrimp until they the color turns into a vibrant shade of pink (2-4 minutes depending upon the size and quantity of shrimp you cook)
- Drain the shrimp in a colander, discard the lemons.
But if you’d rather have just okay shrimp by all means, just use plain water.
The last step before serving is to re-season the shrimp by tossing them in a little more Old Bay seasoning.
How do I make Old Bay Seasoning?
If you live in the part of the world that doesn’t have Old Bay Seasoning, you can make your own. It won’t be quite as good as the original but it will let you enjoy the seasoning that most East Coast Americans love (even on french fries).
- 1 tablespoon ground dried bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons celery salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground celery seeds
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground mace
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
Mix all the seasonings well (pulsing a few times in a food processor if possible). Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
That’s really all there is to making your own restaurant-style peel and eat shrimp.
But if you want to make legendary peel and eat shrimp, you’ll also need to make your own cocktail sauce. And the secret is the Heinz Chili Sauce…..
Should I serve the Peel and Eat Shrimp Hot or Cold?
If you’d rather chill the shrimp you can place them on ice in the fridge until they’re cold. I like them both ways so it’s up to you how you want to serve them, they’re delicious both ways.
More Shrimp Recipes You’ll Love!
- Shrimp Salad Recipe – My restaurant style version
- Restaurant Style Fried Shrimp
- Shrimp Cocktail Recipe
- Grilled Shrimp & Pineapple Skewers
Restaurant Style Peel and Eat Shrimp
Ingredients
Peel and Eat Shrimp
- 1 lb 21-25 count (per pound) shrimp shell on
- 12 ounces beer your favorite brand
- 2 tablespoon old bay seasoning for cooking
- 1 tablespoon pickling spice for cooking
- 1 lemon cut in half
- tablespoon old bay seasoning for seasoning cooked shrimp
- lemon slices garnish
Cocktail Sauce
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup Heinz chili sauce
- 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3-4 teaspoon prepared horseradish more or less depending upon how spicy you like cocktail sauce
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
Peel and Eat Shrimp
- Use a 3- 4 quart saucepan to cook the shrimp. Fill the pan halfway with water then add the beer, Old Bay, pickling spice and the lemon halves with the juice squeezed into the water.
- Bring the water to a boil, then add the shrimp.
- Cook the shrimp for 2-4 minutes depending upon their size. I cooked my shrimp for 3 minutes and they were perfectly done.If the pan is overcrowded it could take longer. I usually let the water come back to a boil and let the shrimp cook for 1-2 minutes longer. A cooked shrimp should feel firm, not soft.
- When the shrimp have finished cooking, drain them into a colander and discard the lemon.If you enjoy eating peel and eat shrimp hot you can serve them before they cool. Peel and eat shrimp can also be served cool which will allow you to prepare them ahead of time.
- Serve with lemon slices and cocktail sauce
Cocktail Sauce
- Mix the ketchup, chili sauce, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl.Depending upon how spicy you like cocktail sauce adjust the amount of horseradish. Remember you can always add more.
- Chill until needed.
Notes
- 1 tablespoon ground dried bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons celery salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground celery seeds
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground mace
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
Angie says
I keep coming back to this recipe. It so good. I put my pickling spices in a spice bag when I serve it to company just to avoid having all those big spice chunks.
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thanks for letting me know you’ve been enjoying my shrimp recipe! I’ve been making it a lot over the holidays.
Cathy Sowers says
Do you thaw the shrimp or cook them frozen?
Chef Dennis Littley says
You can cook them frozen, but I almost always thaw them.