Learn how to make a perfect shrimp cocktail at home, including your own homemade cocktail sauce and how to cook the shrimp so that they’re tender, juicy, and delicious.
I’ve had some amazing shrimp cocktails in my day. They’ve usually been served as appetizers at steakhouses. Cold and tender shrimp. Sweet and spicy sauce. So good. When we want shrimp cocktail at home though, it’s easy enough to buy some precooked shrimp (maybe already arranged in a ring) and a jar of cocktail sauce and set it out for people to munch on. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s tasty and easy.
However, if you want an ultimate shrimp cocktail, like those steakhouse appetizers, you need to do a bit more. Not much more, mind you. Homemade shrimp cocktail is still surprisingly simple to do. Scroll down to read everything you need to know, or click here to jump straight down to the recipe.
Product Details. Serve up an elegant appetizer with our simple thaw and serve cocktail shrimp. Our LiveSmart® tail-on frozen shrimp are peeled, deveined and pre-cooked – just run under cool water to thaw in under 15 minutes.
How To Cook Shrimp For Shrimp Cocktail
You’ve got your raw shrimp, now you’ve got to cook them. The best way to cook shrimp for shrimp cocktail is to poach them gently. My preferred method is to bring a pot of salted water to the boil. You can add some aromatics first like some lemon juice and lemon wedges, peppercorns, and a good handful of fresh parsley leaves. Those items are optional though. The only thing that’s required is the water and salt.
Once the water has reached a really good boil, take it completely off of the heat and let the boil subside. Then, with the pot still off of the heat, add your shrimp. Put the lid on the pot and let the shrimp cook in the heat that remains in the water. It will take 4-7 minutes. Check at that point – the shrimp are done when they’re opaque and pink.
The timing depends on how many shrimp you’re cooking and how much water you had. In a 3 quart saucepan 3/4 full of water, you can add 12 shrimp and they’ll cook in about 4 minutes. If you want to cook more shrimp, use a bigger pot and more water.
Sometimes, depending on the size and number of those shrimp, the size of that pot and how much water was in it, it will take a bit longer, 2-4 minutes. The beautiful thing about this method though is that you can’t really overcook them at this point. The water isn’t super-hot anymore and the shrimp are just slowly getting a bit more done as you leave them.
While the shrimp are cooking, fill a large bowl with cold water and a lot of ice. Once the shrimp are cooked, remove them from the hot water (leave the aromatics behind and discard them after). You can use a slotted spoon or pour them through a colander. Then put the drained shrimp into the bowl of ice water and let them chill completely. After that, you can serve them immediately or drain them and refrigerate for up to 12 hours before serving.
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How to Cook Already Cooked Shrimp Safely & to Retain Flavour?
FAQ
Are cocktail shrimp cooked or raw?
Is shrimp cocktail ready to eat?
Is packaged shrimp already cooked?
Is cocktail shrimp eaten cold?
Does shrimp cocktail need to be complicated?
Shrimp cocktail is all about the shrimp, with nothing for overcooked (or, cringe, undercooked) shrimp to hide behind. Cooking the shrimp properly is, therefore, three-quarters of the battle. Finally, there’s the issue of the cocktail sauce. Cocktail sauce does not need to be complicated, but it does need to be snappy.
Can I eat raw shrimp?
Eating raw shrimp is not recommended. Raw shrimp can contain bacteria that can cause food poisoning. It is also a good source of purines, which can trigger gout attacks. If you want to eat shrimp, cook it thoroughly to reduce the risk of food poisoning and to help prevent gout attacks. Cook shrimp until it is opaque and pink to ensure that it is safe to eat.
Can you make shrimp cocktail at home?
When we want shrimp cocktail at home though, it’s easy enough to buy some precooked shrimp (maybe already arranged in a ring) and a jar of cocktail sauce and set it out for people to munch on. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s tasty and easy.
How to cook raw shrimp for shrimp cocktail?
You’ve got your raw shrimp, now you’ve got to cook them. The best way to cook shrimp for shrimp cocktail is to poach them gently. My preferred method is to bring a pot of salted water to the boil. You can add some aromatics first like some lemon juice and lemon wedges, peppercorns, and a good handful of fresh parsley leaves.