Chilled Shrimp Cocktail Appetizer (Printer-friendly)

Delight in chilled shrimp paired with a bold, tangy sauce ideal for any appetizer.

# 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 (optional)
10 - Pinch of salt

→ Garnish

11 - Lemon wedges
12 - Fresh parsley (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil with lemon slices, salt, and black peppercorns.
02 - Add shrimp to the boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until they turn pink and are just cooked through.
03 - Transfer shrimp immediately to an ice bath to halt cooking; chill for at least 10 minutes.
04 - Combine ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce (if using), and a pinch of salt in a bowl; adjust seasoning to preference.
05 - Drain shrimp and pat dry, arrange on a platter over crushed ice or lettuce leaves, and serve with cocktail sauce, lemon wedges, and parsley garnish.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • Ready in 20 minutes total, so you can look like you spent hours in the kitchen without the stress.
  • Naturally impressive and elegant, yet so simple that even a rushed dinner party becomes manageable.
  • The horseradish in that sauce hits differently than ketchup alone—it wakes up your entire palate.
02 -
  • Overcooking shrimp by even a minute changes the texture from succulent to bouncy rubber—set a timer and trust it rather than guessing.
  • The ice bath is non-negotiable; it's what keeps your shrimp from becoming tough as the residual heat keeps cooking them.
  • Make the sauce earlier in the day if you can; it tastes sharper and more balanced after sitting a few hours, and it's one less thing to worry about before guests arrive.
03 -
  • If you can find frozen shrimp from a reputable source, they're often fresher than what's labeled fresh at the counter—just thaw them slowly in the fridge the night before.
  • A bay leaf or splash of white wine in the cooking water elevates the whole thing if you have them on hand, but salt and peppercorns alone do the job beautifully.
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