Chilled Shrimp Zesty Cocktail Sauce (Printable)

Perfect chilled shrimp with zesty tangy sauce ready in 20 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Shrimp

01 - 1 pound large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
02 - 1 lemon, sliced
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 teaspoon black peppercorns

→ Cocktail Sauce

05 - ½ cup ketchup
06 - 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
08 - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
09 - ½ teaspoon hot sauce
10 - Pinch of salt

→ Garnish

11 - Lemon wedges
12 - Fresh parsley

# How-To Steps:

01 - Fill a large pot with water. Add lemon slices, salt, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over high heat.
02 - Add shrimp to boiling water and cook for 2–3 minutes until pink and just cooked through. Do not overcook.
03 - Immediately transfer shrimp to an ice bath to stop cooking process. Let chill for at least 10 minutes.
04 - In a mixing bowl, combine ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and pinch of salt. Stir until thoroughly blended. Adjust seasoning to taste.
05 - Drain shrimp and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange on serving platter over crushed ice or lettuce leaves. Serve chilled with cocktail sauce, lemon wedges, and fresh parsley garnish.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in literally two minutes but tastes like you fussed over it
  • People genuinely get excited when they see shrimp cocktail on a party spread
  • You can make everything hours ahead and actually enjoy your own gathering
02 -
  • The ice bath is not optional because shrimp keeps cooking after you remove it from heat
  • Don't crowd the pot or the water temperature drops too much and the shrimp cook unevenly
03 -
  • Buy the best shrimp you can find because this dish is all about the quality of the main ingredient
  • Extra napkins are not optional because cocktail sauce inevitably ends up on shirts
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