Boiled Shrimp with Old Bay

bowl with old bay shrimp and dipping sauce

4.19 from 11 votes

These Old Bay Shrimp are a perfect appetizer for your next summer party. Perfectly spiced and served with a creamy dip on the side!

Prep Time15

Cook Time5

Additional Time1

Total Time1 20

Servings:

Calories: 322kcal

Author: Chef Molly Pisula

Ingredients

Shrimp

2 pounds large shell-on shrimp deveined
1 lemon thinly sliced
½ cup apple cider vinegar
12- ounce lager beer or wheat beer
2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning plus more for garnish

Dipping Sauce

½ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons minced dill pickle
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
½ teaspoon tomato paste

Instructions

Make dip: stir together mayonnaise, dijon mustard, dill pickle, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning, and tomato paste and chill for 1 hour before serving.
Toss shrimp with Old Bay Seasoning and let marinate for 10 minutes.
While shrimp is marinating, make an ice bath by putting some ice cubes into a large bowl of cold water.
Bring 1 cup water, cider vinegar, and beer to a boil in a large pot.
Add shrimp and cover. Steam for 3 minutes.
Uncover and stir shrimp. Cook an additional 1-2 minutes until just done. Shrimp will be curled and will turn pink.
Drain shrimp, and put into ice bath for 5 minutes, until cold.
Drain again and add to a platter. Garnish with more Old Bay seasoning, if desired. Serve with dip.

Notes

Make-Ahead Instructions: Make the dip at least an hour in advance so that the flavors have time to meld. And the shrimp can be served hot or cold. They will hold for several hours or more in the fridge if you want to make them in the morning and serve them later in the afternoon. (But best to eat them the day you make them.)

Best Way to Defrost Shrimp: Put the shrimp into a colander and put the colander in the sink. Turn your faucet to the spray mode (if possible), and run cold water over the shrimp for several minutes. The spray mode allows the water to hit more of the shrimp at once, but it's not essential. Just move the shrimp around every minute or so, so that the frozen ones get their turn under the cold water. Pat dry with paper towels when you are done. It should take only 5 minutes or so to do 2 pounds of shrimp.

Nutrition