You can make a delicious shrimp cocktail at home by following these steps: making your own cocktail sauce and cooking the shrimp so they are soft, juicy, and tasty.
I’ve had some amazing shrimp cocktails in my day. They’ve usually been served as appetizers at steakhouses. Cold and tender shrimp. Sweet and spicy sauce. So good. But when we make shrimp cocktail at home, it’s simple to buy some already cooked shrimp (maybe in a ring shape) and a jar of cocktail sauce. Then we just put it out for everyone to eat. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s tasty and easy.
To make the best shrimp cocktail, like the ones served at steakhouses, you need to do a few extra things. Not much more, mind you. Homemade shrimp cocktail is still surprisingly simple to do. Read everything you need to know by scrolling down, or click here to go straight to the recipe.
Shrimp cocktail is a classic appetizer that looks great on a buffet table and is usually a crowd-pleaser. But keeping shrimp cocktail cold for a large group can be tricky. As a food blogger and home cook, I’ve discovered some techniques to keep shrimp chilled and delicious when serving a crowd.
Why It’s Important to Keep Shrimp Cocktail Cold
First, let’s look at why it’s so important to keep shrimp cocktail cold. Seafood spoils quickly at room temperature, allowing bacteria to multiply rapidly. Holding cold foods below 40°F inhibits bacteria growth and keeps food safe. No one wants to serve spoiled, unsafe shrimp! Plus, chilled shrimp simply tastes better – it’s refreshing and flavorful when ice-cold.
Individual Serving Methods
For small parties individual servings work well
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Place 3-5 shrimp in small glasses or bowls with a few ice cubes. Add a lemon wedge for presentation and flavor. The ice keeps each serving chilled. Replace shrimp as needed.
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Arrange shrimp attractively on a platter over ice cubes in a single layer, Replace ice hourly as it melts Don’t overload the platter so shrimp isn’t exposed to air
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Fill martini or wine glasses halfway with crushed ice. Top with shrimp, lemon wedge, and cocktail sauce. The ice keeps it chilled.
Large Quantity Methods
For big parties, try these methods to keep pounds of shrimp cocktail cold:
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Fill a punch bowl halfway with ice. Place a serving bowl of shrimp cocktail in the center, nestled in the ice. The ice cools the bowl’s contents.
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Put ice in a deep tray and cover with lettuce leaves. Arrange shrimp on top. The lettuce conceals melting ice and prevents sogginess.
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Use a special two-tiered shrimp serving dish. Fill bottom tier with ice; top tier holds cocktail sauce and rim hangs shrimp.
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For DIY platters, put ice in a baking dish. Add sauce bowl and surround with shrimp. Refill ice as needed.
Shrimp Cocktail Prep Tips
Proper prep is key for optimal flavor and food safety:
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Chill shrimp in the fridge 1-2 hours before serving. Starting with ice-cold shrimp helps them stay chilled longer.
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Cook shrimp just until opaque and pink. Overcooking makes them rubbery. Poach in seasoned liquid for tender, juicy shrimp.
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Peel and devein shrimp, leaving tails on for presentation. Rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
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Pat dry before chilling to prevent sogginess.
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Prepare sauce ahead too. Homemade is best, but good store-bought sauce works too.
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Assemble platters right before serving. Don’t let shrimp or sauce sit out.
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Provide small bowls for discarding used shrimp tails.
Handling Leftovers
Never leave peeled shrimp or prepared sauce out over 2 hours. Refrigerate promptly.
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Leftover cooked shrimp keeps 3-4 days in the fridge.
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Cocktail sauce keeps 5-7 days refrigerated. Discard if separation, odd smells, or mold occurs.
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Squeeze lemons over leftover shrimp before reheating gently on the stove or in the microwave.
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Or use extra shrimp in seafood pasta, tacos, soup, salad, or dip.
Essential Equipment
Having the right tools helps keep components cold:
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Insulated coolers, bowls, and platters keep cold foods chilled longer.
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Wire racks allow air circulation so condensation doesn’t form.
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Ice packs help maintain temperature in coolers. Freeze some serving dishes too.
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Oversized bowls and containers allow plenty of ice.
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Slotted spoons easily remove shrimp from ice water.
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Tongs provide sanitary serving.
Shrimp Cocktail Inspires Any Gathering
Video: How To Make Shrimp Cocktail
First, to make restaurant-quality shrimp cocktail, you need a great-tasting cocktail sauce. If you buy one that you like, you can use that. I think the store-bought ones are a bit bland, so I either make my own or add horseradish sauce and hot sauce to them.
Making your own cocktail sauce isn’t very hard though. It uses ingredients that you probably already have at home. Ketchup mixed with horseradish and a pinch of salt are the basics. Make sure that you have a good-tasting horseradish sauce. Taste it by itself and make sure you like it. I like prepared horseradish better than horseradish sauce. Specifically, I like the prepared horseradish that comes in jars in the grocery store’s refrigerated section next to the pickles. It tends to have a spicier and more robust flavor.
You can add Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and/or hot sauce (like Tabasco) after the ketchup, horseradish, and salt. Here’s my favorite cocktail sauce recipe. You could also make British cocktail sauce which is called Marie Rose sauce.
Which Shrimp To Use For Shrimp Cocktail
For a really great shrimp cocktail, you want to go with large shrimp. I use a 21-25 count, which means there are 21-25 shrimp per pound. Buy them deveined but uncooked. Easy-peel or already peeled is fine.
If they’re peeled, make sure they still have their tails. Do not skip those; they are what hold your shrimp cocktail together. If they are easy-peel, you can peel them before or after cooking; it doesn’t matter. Either way, make sure that you leave the tail on.
The peel on easy-peel shrimp has been cut along the outside to get rid of the vein, and then the tail has been cut. This makes it easy to remove the peel while leaving the tail intact. You want the tail because it makes a nice presentation and acts as a handle for your shrimp.
Jumbo Shrimp Platter
How do you keep a shrimp cocktail cold?
I found a simple and pretty way to serve shrimp cocktail that will keep it cold for several hours. Fill a glass bowl or trifle dish about halfway full of ice. Place a small glass bowl in the center for the cocktail sauce and then place sliced lemons on the sides of the larger bowl.
How do you serve a shrimp cocktail?
Push down gently on the edges of the bowl with the shrimp cocktail in it so the ice moves up the side of the bowl and cools the shrimp. Place a layer of ice on the bottom of a deep serving tray and place shredded lettuce or cabbage over the ice to conceal it and to add to the presentation.
How do you cool shrimp in a punchbowl?
Fill a punchbowl halfway with crushed ice or ice cubes. Place a medium serving bowl or serving platter that will easily fit in the punchbowl directly in the center of the ice. Push down gently on the edges of the bowl with the shrimp cocktail in it so the ice moves up the side of the bowl and cools the shrimp.
What is an Ice Bowl for a shrimp cocktail?
An ice bowl is a spectacular way to display and serve shrimp or any cold seafood for a cocktail party! Here I will show you the step by step instructions s so you can create one yourself! After I shared my Beach Ball Themed cocktail party I had some questions about how I made the ice bowl for my shrimp cocktail.