Classic Shrimp Cocktail with Homemade Cocktail Sauce (Easy Holiday Appetizer)

Why you’ll love it

• Perfectly tender shrimp: gentle poaching in seasoned broth means juicy, flavorful shrimp that are never rubbery.
• Homemade cocktail sauce: five ingredients, two minutes and much fresher than the bottled kind.
• Make-ahead and no oven: cook it the day before and serve it straight from the refrigerator.

Quick facts

Ingredients

For the poaching broth

• 3 quarts (2.8 liters) water
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1/2 small yellow onion
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
• 2 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns

For the shrimp

• 2 lb (900 g) large shrimp (21 to 25 per lb), peeled and deveined, tails on
• Large bowl of ice water (about 4 cups ice plus 4 cups water)

For the cocktail sauce

• 1 cup (240 g) ketchup
• 2 to 3 tbsp prepared horseradish, drained, to taste
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp hot sauce, such as Tabasco
• Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

For serving

• Crushed ice or a bed of lettuce leaves
• Lemon wedges
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or chives

Step-by-step method

1. Make the cocktail sauce. In a small bowl, stir together the ketchup, 2 tablespoons horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire, hot sauce and pepper. Taste and add more horseradish if you like it stronger. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes so the flavors blend.

2. Prepare the shrimp. If needed, peel the shrimp, leaving the tails on, and remove the dark vein with a small knife or deveiner. Rinse and keep them cold in the refrigerator.

3. Make the poaching broth. Pour the water into a large pot. Squeeze in the juice of the lemon halves and drop in the halves. Add the onion, bay leaves, Old Bay, salt and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 5 minutes so the aromatics flavor the water.

4. Set up the ice bath. While the broth simmers, fill a large bowl with ice and cold water and set it next to the stove.

5. Poach the shrimp. Turn off the heat under the pot. Add the shrimp all at once, stir, and let them sit in the hot broth, uncovered, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring once or twice, until they are pink and opaque. If your shrimp are jumbo, leave them 1 to 2 minutes longer.

6. Chill quickly. Lift the shrimp out with a slotted spoon or spider strainer and plunge them into the ice water. Let them sit 5 minutes, until completely cold.

7. Dry and refrigerate. Drain the shrimp well and pat them dry with paper towels. Place them in a bowl, cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or until serving.

8. Serve. Spoon the cocktail sauce into a small bowl and set it in the center of a platter of crushed ice or lettuce. Arrange the shrimp around it, hanging them over the rim of the bowl or fanning them out. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

How to know it is done

The shrimp are perfectly cooked when they have turned from gray and translucent to pink with white, completely opaque flesh, and they have curled into a loose C shape. Cut one in half at its thickest part: the center should be opaque with no glassy gray spot, about 120 to 140°F (49 to 60°C). Take them out right away; shrimp that curl into a tight O are overcooked and turn rubbery.

Tips for the best result

• Buy large or jumbo shrimp; they stay juicier and look more impressive on the platter.
• Cook the shrimp off the heat in the hot broth; the gentle heat keeps them tender.
• Do not skip the ice bath, which stops the cooking instantly and makes the shrimp snappy.
• Season the broth well; it is your only chance to flavor the shrimp from the inside.
• Keep the platter cold; set it over a bowl of ice if it will sit out more than an hour.

Variations and substitutions

• Roasted shrimp cocktail: toss the shrimp with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 400°F (200°C) for 6 to 8 minutes, then chill.
• Spicy sauce: add 1 tsp sriracha or 1/4 tsp cayenne to the cocktail sauce.
• Remoulade instead: serve with a creamy sauce of mayonnaise, Creole mustard, lemon and paprika.
• Chili sauce base: use half ketchup and half bottled chili sauce for a sweeter, chunkier sauce.
• Individual glasses: spoon sauce into small glasses or cups and hang 3 shrimp on each rim for a party.
• Frozen shrimp: thaw frozen raw shrimp overnight in the refrigerator, or in a colander under cold running water.

Make ahead

Poach, chill and dry the shrimp up to 24 hours ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator. The cocktail sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead; its flavor gets even better. Arrange the platter up to 2 hours before guests arrive, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving.

Storage and reheating

Store leftover shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and the cocktail sauce separately for up to 1 week. Shrimp cocktail is served cold, so there is no need to reheat; use leftovers in salads, tacos or pasta. Do not leave the shrimp at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Freezing cooked shrimp is not recommended because they become watery and tough.