Tender, Zesty Steamed Shrimp Recipe
If you love shrimp with bold, zesty flavor and a perfectly tender bite, try making steamed Old Bay shrimp. Quick to prepare and packed with flavor from the iconic spice blend, these shrimp are steamed over seasoned beer (or water) for maximum flavor without becoming waterlogged. They’re one of my favorite easy-to-make appetizers to kickstart a nice dinner or can be piled high onto a seafood platter.
Removing the shell comes down to personal preference. Some people love to peel them off as they’re eating, but for maximum flavor infusion, remove the shrimp shells. This enables the spices to better cling to the shrimp.
Old Bay Seasoning (For Beginners 😜)
Old Bay is one of the most well known spices ubiquitous with seafood, particularly crab and shrimp recipes. It’s a savory, slightly spicy blend of celery salt, paprika, black pepper, crushed red pepper, and a few other herbs and spices. It’s also notoriously salty and pairs perfectly alongside something cold and refreshing. Beer or a glass of Riesling are ideal.
This 5-minute homemade cocktail sauce (made with ketchup, horseradish, lemon, and Worcestershire) is a classic, but if you’ve never tried cocktail sauce made with gin, it’s a fun little twist.
A Couple Quick Tips
- The shrimp should not touch the steaming liquid. Keeping them elevated will help them stay tender (boiling can lead to a rubbery texture).
- You can use any size shrimp, but cook time will vary.
- Don’t have a steamer? Place a fine mesh strainer on top of a pot (just make sure it rests nicely without falling in) and voila! You’ve got a makeshift steamer basket.
- If working with more than 1 lb of shrimp at a time, cook in batches to avoid overcrowding.
My Favorite Use For Leftover Steamed Shrimp
Make a simple chopped shrimp salad! Rough chop the shrimp, mix with a little mayo, vinegar, shallot, cayenne, and Old Bay, and you’re good to go. You can also toss it with boiled small potatoes—this is great if you’re working with leftovers from a seafood boil.
You can of course eat the shrimp salad with a spoon, but it’s also great on salads, in a wrap, or scooped onto crackers.
Turn This Into A Low-Effort Shrimp Boil
Basically all you need to do is throw in some fresh corn and potatoes, allowing everything to boil together in the same pot of water. (So yes, use a larger pot!) Feel free to toss in other shellfish (crab, crawfish, etc) or sausage. Add additional Old Bay for extra flavor.
Once cooked, drain, then pour the seafood directly from the pot onto a table lined with newspaper. I’m pretty sure eating with your hands is mandatory! 😜 Is crunchy, creamy coleslaw on the side mandatory? Yes.
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15-Minute Old Bay Steamed Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 lb (455g) large shrimp, shell peeled, tail on
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp Old Bay seasoning, use spicy Old Bay if you like
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- 1 cup (240ml) beer
- ½ cup (120ml) water
- 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped, for serving
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Season the shrimp. In a large bowl, combine 1 lb cleaned shrimp, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp Old Bay, and ½ tsp kosher salt. Toss to evenly coat the shrimp.
- Steam the shrimp. Combine 1 cup (237ml) beer and ½ cup (118ml) water in a skillet or pot, then set over high heat until rapidly boiling. Turn the heat down to a simmer. Place the seasoned shrimp in a steamer basket (see note below if you don't have a steaming basket), set on top of the simmering pot, then place a lid on top. Steam for 2 minutes, lift the lid and flip the shrimp (or just give 'em a good stir), then cook for 2-3 minutes more, or until just pink on both sides.
- Garnish, then serve. Remove shrimp and place in a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, then serve with lemon wedges. They can be served hot, room temperature, or cold. Recipe for homemade cocktail sauce below.
Notes
- I’ve tested this recipe with shells on and off shrimp. I prefer it with the shell off, but you can absolutely leave them on and peel before eating. The shrimp will likely be less flavorful, so feel free to season again with a sprinkle of Old Bay just before digging in.
- Try this with our classic cocktail sauce recipe or cocktail sauce made with gin.
- If using frozen shrimp, defrost completely before steaming (either overnight in a fridge or you can place the frozen shrimp in a bowl of cool water and let it sit for 30-60 minutes.
Awesome recipe and thankyou. My raw shrimp was steamed perfect and exactly the way I like it. I will save this recipe for future use.
Love hearing this, Paul! It’s a great, flavorful shrimp dish for sure! xo, Ari
I have been steaming shrimp for years and have never had success with shelled shrimp.
My old recipe is similar, except I use 1 to 1 water/vinegar as the boil. I do not know if that is the difference. Shrimp with the shell intact always came out excellent, shelled shrimp not so much.
I have never tried oil and salt coating the shelled shrimp (but always generous with the Old Bay). I tried your method and this time the shelled shrimp came out excellent! And no more pesky shells to peel!
I am glad I came across your recipe, it is what I will use for now on.
Ari , Have a question, we are Shrimp snobs and only eat American grown shrimp. I purchase them frequently take the shell off and clean the “black line” out of them. You did not mention this, is it necessary?
Thanks – Will do this recipe soon!
Linda
No one waited for me to grab a photo, but husband says he’s never had a better perfectly tender and not rubbery shrimp before!
No one waiting for a photo is always a good sign. Love these little shrimpies!