Classic Shrimp Cocktail
Ready in minutes and always a crowd pleaser, Classic Shrimp Cocktail is the perfect make-ahead appetizer for any gathering. It combines succulent boiled shrimp with a spicy tomato-based sauce for the ultimate blending of flavors.
Ingredients
Cocktail Sauce
- 12 ounce bottle of chili sauce (See Tip 1)
- 1 Tablespoon prepared horseradish (See Tip 2)
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Shrimp
- 2 pounds large head-on shrimp (10 to 15 count or 16 to 20 count) (See Tip 3)
- 1-½ quarts water
- 1 small onion, peeled and cut in half
- 1 stalk celery, cut into pieces
- 1 lemon, cut in half
- 1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon Tabasco or hot sauce
Instructions
Cocktail Sauce
- Whisk together chili sauce, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and pepper. Season with more horseradish if a hotter sauce is desired. Refrigerate until ready to use. Yield: 1-½ cups
Shrimp
- Remove shrimp heads and shells, leaving tails in-tact; devein. Add onion, celery lemon, Worcestershire sauce, salt, paprika and hot sauce to water. Bring boil; reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend together. Return water to a boil. Add shrimp and return to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water, and cover in ice water to cool completely. Rinse well with cold water and drain. Pat shrimp dry with paper towel; refrigerate until ready to use.
- Serve with cocktail sauce.
- Yield: Serves 4.
Tips/Notes
- Chili sauce is similar to ketchup but is spicier. In a pinch, you could use ketchup.
- Prepared horseradish is not the same as creamy horseradish or horseradish sauce. Prepared horseradish which is grated horseradish in vinegar is found in the cold food section of a grocery store. Don't be tempted to use creamy horseradish or horseradish sauce for the cocktail sauce.
- The 10 to 15 count shrimp is preferable if you're going to serve individual servings in a wine glass. Either the 10 to 15 count or 16 to 20 count works fine if serving the shrimp in a bowl with the cocktail sauce on the side.
Nutrition
Calories: 234kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 32gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 381mgSodium: 1765mgPotassium: 419mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 360IUVitamin C: 21.3mgCalcium: 248mgIron: 3.9mg
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