Classic Chilled Shrimp with Zesty Sauce (Printable)

Tender chilled shrimp paired with tangy, zesty homemade cocktail sauce. An elegant appetizer ready in 20 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Shrimp

01 - 1 lb large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
02 - 1 lemon, sliced
03 - 1 tsp salt
04 - 1 tsp black peppercorns

→ Cocktail Sauce

05 - ½ cup ketchup
06 - 2 tbsp prepared horseradish
07 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
08 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
09 - ½ tsp hot sauce
10 - Pinch of salt

→ Garnish

11 - Lemon wedges
12 - Fresh parsley

# How To Make It:

01 - Fill a large pot with water. Add lemon slices, salt, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil.
02 - Add the shrimp and cook for 2–3 minutes, until pink and just cooked through.
03 - Immediately transfer shrimp to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Chill for at least 10 minutes.
04 - In a bowl, mix ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and a pinch of salt. Adjust seasoning to taste.
05 - Drain the shrimp and pat dry. Arrange on a platter over crushed ice or lettuce leaves.
06 - Serve with cocktail sauce, lemon wedges, and parsley for garnish.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The homemade cocktail sauce puts store bought versions to shame and comes together in one minute
  • Shrimp stay impossibly tender when you know the ice bath trick
02 -
  • Overcooked rubbery shrimp cannot be saved so watch the pot like a hawk and pull them the moment they turn pink
  • The ice bath is non negotiable if you want that perfect tender snap texture
03 -
  • Buy the freshest shrimp you can find and ask the fish counter to devein them if you want to save prep time
  • Crushed ice keeps the shrimp cold and makes the platter look impressive and restaurant worthy
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