Broiled Shrimp Cocktail

Served as an appetizer, fish course, main course or mounded on a buffet, ice cold shrimp with a spicy seafood cocktail sauce is loved by everyone. My apologies to those with shellfish allergies, but then those poor souls are probably not reading this recipe.

To produce the most tender and flavorful shrimp to serve chilled, broiling is my preferred cooking method. With the proper planning it’s simple, relatively fast, pretty much fool-proof and can be done hours in advance of serving.

I serve these juicy morsels with their scorched brown shells intact. They retain their natural moisture and make for a much more interesting presentation.


Broiled Shrimp Cocktail
Yield: 4 Appetizer Servings     Preparation Time: 20 Minutes Active + 1 Hour Chilling     Cooking Time: 3 Minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Water
• ¼ Cup Kosher Salt
• ¼ Cup Granulated Sugar
• 2 Cups Ice
• 24 Tiger Shrimp, sized 20 – 21 per pound
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• ½ Teaspoon Creole Seasoning, see Tips and Trending
• Seafood Cocktail Sauce, see Tips and Trending to make it yourself


Preparation Steps

Step 1. Bring the water to a boil in a medium size saucepan then stir the salt and sugar into the water until dissolved and remove from heat. Set aside until cooled to room temperature, transfer to a medium bowl then add the ice.

Step 2. Wash and devein the shrimp but do not remove the shells. After thoroughly cleaning the shrimp drop them into the ice water brine and put the bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Put a baking sheet in the refrigerator at this time to chill.

Step 3. Preheat broiler and line another large baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Step 4. Drain the shrimp, pat them dry then put them in a mixing bowl. Add the olive oil and Creole seasoning and fold gently until evenly coated then transfer the shrimp to the prepared baking sheet.

Step 5. Broil 4 inches from the heating element for 2 minutes. Turn the shrimps over and broil for just one more minute then transfer the shrimp to the chilled baking sheet and immediately put them in the refrigerator to chill. If the shrimp are to chill for longer than one hour cover loosely with aluminum foil, after the first hour, for the remainder of the time.

I like to present a shrimp cocktail in a cocktail glass – makes some sense doesn’t it? At home, there’s no need to serve them on shaved ice to keep cold. I just put a couple of tablespoons of my seafood cocktail sauce in the bottom of a martini glass and hang the shrimp around the rim.


Tips and Trending

~ This recipe can easily be multiplied to adjust for serving size. When cooking larger quantities do them in batches instead of crowding the baking sheet keeping at least 1” of space around the shrimp to let them cook properly and to facilitate turning them.

~ To devein the shrimp use a pair of kitchen shears to cut along the back from the head to tail ends. Slice the flesh along the intestinal track with the point of a sharp knife and use a toothpick to remove it. Make sure you thoroughly rinse the shrimp again after this procedure.

~ Make your own Creole Seasoning for this and many other great seafood recipes. Just combine all ingredients below and store the unused portion in an airtight jar.

• 2½ Tablespoons Paprika
• 2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
• 2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Cayenne Pepper
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Oregano
• 1 Tablespoon Dried Thyme

~ Here’s a fresher tasting Seafood Cocktail Sauce recipe. Stir all ingredients together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

• ½ Cup Chili Sauce 

• ½ Cup Ketchup 

• 3 Tablespoons Prepared Horseradish

• 2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice

• ½ Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

• ¼ Teaspoon Tabasco Sauce (optional)