Hey there! I’ve been making shrimp cocktail for years and let me tell you – steaming is definitely the way to go. Today I’m gonna share exactly how long to steam those little guys for the perfect appetizer that’ll wow your guests every time.
The Quick Answer
For perfectly steamed shrimp cocktail, steam for:
- Extra small shrimp (under 15/lb): 1-2 minutes
- Small shrimp (16-20/lb): 2-3 minutes
- Medium shrimp (21-25/lb): 3-4 minutes
- Large shrimp (26-30/lb): 4-5 minutes
- Extra large shrimp (31-35/lb): 5-7 minutes
- Jumbo shrimp (36-45/lb): 6-8 minutes
What You’ll Need
- Raw shrimp (thawed if frozen)
- Steamer pot or basket
- Large bowl for ice bath
- Ice
- Paper towels
Step-by-Step Steaming Guide
1. Prep Your Shrimp
- Thaw completely if frozen
- Peel and devein (leave tails on)
- Rinse under cold water
- Pat dry with paper towels
2. Set Up Your Steamer
- Add 1-2 inches water to pot
- Insert steamer basket
- Make sure water doesn’t touch basket
- Bring water to rapid boil
3. Steam Those Babies
- Place shrimp in single layer in basket
- Cover with tight-fitting lid
- Start timing when steam appears
- Flip shrimp halfway through cooking
- Look for pink color and slight curl
4. Ice Bath Time
- Prepare ice bath while shrimp cook
- Transfer shrimp immediately to ice bath
- Let chill 1 minute
- Drain and pat dry
Pro Tips From My Kitchen
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Don’t Overcrowd: Give those shrimp some breathing room! Overcrowding = uneven cooking.
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Watch the Curl: Perfect shrimp make a “C” shape. If they curl into tight “O”s, they’re overcooked.
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Size Matters: I prefer using large or jumbo shrimp for cocktail. They look impressive and are harder to overcook.
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Shell Game: While you can steam with shells on, I find peeling beforehand makes life easier for your guests.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Don’t steam frozen shrimp directly – thaw first!
- Don’t skip the ice bath – it stops the cooking process
- Don’t boil instead of steam – you’ll get rubbery shrimp
- Don’t guess on timing – use a timer
Serving Suggestions
I love serving my steamed shrimp cocktail with
- Classic cocktail sauce
- Lemon wedges
- Fresh parsley garnish
- Cracked black pepper
Storage Tips
Keep your steamed shrimp fresh by:
- Storing in airtight container
- Keeping refrigerated up to 3 days
- Not freezing (texture gets weird)
FAQs
Q: Can I use pre-cooked shrimp?
A: You can, but why would ya? Fresh steamed tastes way better!
Q No steamer basket? No problem?A Use a metal colander over boiling water – works in a pinch!
Q: How do I know they’re done?
A: Pink color, opaque meat, gentle “C” shape. When in doubt, cut one open!
The Bottom Line
Steaming shrimp ain’t rocket science, but timing is everything! Follow these guidelines, and you’ll have perfect shrimp cocktail every time. Trust me, your guests will think you’re some kind of seafood wizard.
Remember: Better to slightly undercook (you can always steam more) than overcook (no fixing rubber shrimp!). Now get out there and start steaming!
Would love to hear how your shrimp cocktail turns out – drop a comment below with your results or questions!
Happy steaming!
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. Those make the handles for your shrimp cocktail and you don’t want to skip that! If they’re easy-peel, you can peel them before or after they’re cooked, it doesn’t matter. Either way, make sure that you leave the tail on.
Easy-peel shrimp have had the peel cut down the outside to get out the vein and then there is a cut around the tail. 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.
How To Cook Shrimp For Shrimp Cocktail
You’ve got your raw shrimp, now you’ve got to cook them. The best way to cook shrimp for shrimp cocktail is to poach them gently. My preferred method is to bring a pot of salted water to the boil. You can add some aromatics first like some lemon juice and lemon wedges, peppercorns, and a good handful of fresh parsley leaves. Those items are optional though. The only thing that’s required is the water and salt.
Once the water has reached a really good boil, take it completely off of the heat and let the boil subside. Then, with the pot still off of the heat, add your shrimp. Put the lid on the pot and let the shrimp cook in the heat that remains in the water. It will take 4-7 minutes. Check at that point – the shrimp are done when they’re opaque and pink.
The timing depends on how many shrimp you’re cooking and how much water you had. In a 3 quart saucepan 3/4 full of water, you can add 12 shrimp and they’ll cook in about 4 minutes. If you want to cook more shrimp, use a bigger pot and more water.
Sometimes, depending on the size and number of those shrimp, the size of that pot and how much water was in it, it will take a bit longer, 2-4 minutes. The beautiful thing about this method though is that you can’t really overcook them at this point. The water isn’t super-hot anymore and the shrimp are just slowly getting a bit more done as you leave them.
While the shrimp are cooking, fill a large bowl with cold water and a lot of ice. Once the shrimp are cooked, remove them from the hot water (leave the aromatics behind and discard them after). You can use a slotted spoon or pour them through a colander. Then put the drained shrimp into the bowl of ice water and let them chill completely. After that, you can serve them immediately or drain them and refrigerate for up to 12 hours before serving.