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Old Bay Steamed Shrimp are perfectly cooked, full of flavor, and make for the perfect appetizer! Or, if you love shrimp as much as I do, they can make for one seriously delicious entrée too. So grab your Homemade Old Bay Seasoning and make a batch of these finger licking good shrimp!
These Old Bay steamed shrimp are better than any shrimp you’ll get at a restaurant. I’m a seafood fanatic, especially in the summertime. I make different types of seafood dinners all the time during the warm months! These flavor packed easy to peel shrimp are at the top of my list for current favorite recipes. And, like I said before, they beat out any restaurant shrimp I’ve had lately.
What makes these shrimp so tasty is the water that steams them. When you mix the water with bold natural ingredients like apple cider vinegar and lemons, those ingredients are in the steam that cook the shrimp, infusing them with flavor. Additionally, the shrimp are tossed in Old Bay right before they’re cooked, which is what makes them truly mouthwatering! My Homemade Old Bay Seasoning has it all – it’s spicy, sweet, tangy, and makes this shrimp irresistible. I dare you to try and eat just one!
I also want to make sure that your shrimp aren’t just delicious in their flavor, but also in their texture. If they’re over or under cooked, they won’t be good, and it’s easy to accidentally do either of those things. A great rule of thumb is to not just follow the cooking times provided, but to also observe the shrimp themselves. Once they form a “C” shape, they’re probably ready to go! However, if they curl all the way into an “O” shape, they’re overcooked. Be sure to keep an eye on these shrimp – you don’t want to ruin all of that delicious flavor with overcooked rubbery texture!
How to Make Steamed Shrimp
- Arrange. Arrange the shrimp in a steamer basket and set aside.
- Pour. Add the water, vinegar and lemons to a large stock pot. Be sure to use a pot that the steamer basket will fit on top of with a lid.
- Boil. Bring the water to a boil over high heat.
- Place. Place the steamer back in the pot being, making sure the water isn’t touching the bottom of the basket. Cover the basket.
- Toss. Sprinkle the seasoning over the shrimp and toss to coat.
- Steam. Reduce the heat to medium and steam the shrimp for 4-6 minutes, depending on the size of your shrimp. Remember to keep an eye on them, paying attention to their shape!
- Remove the lid. Remove the lid and toss the shrimp with tongs to ensure they cook evenly. Continue cooking until the shrimp have turned pink and are opaque.
- Sprinkle. Transfer the shrimp to a platter and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
- Enjoy! Serve with cocktail sauce and lemon wedges, if desired.
We love serving with a big bowl of this Homemade Cocktail Sauce you can make in minutes!
What Type of Shrimp To Use
First and foremost, do NOT use frozen shrimp! Even when they’re thawed, you most likely won’t get the texture you’re looking for. Instead, buy fresh shrimp with the shell and tail still on from the seafood counter at your local grocery store!
Also, a helpful tip – ask the person working the counter if the shrimp come deveined or if they can be deveined before you buy them. It’ll save you a ton of time! Plus, you never want to just leave the vein in there… It’s not necessarily appetizing.
How to Store Leftovers
Don’t make these shrimp ahead of time. They’re always best when they’re first taken out of the steamer! However, any leftover you do have will stay fresh in the refrigerator for about 3 days. To reheat them, use the steamer again for just a few minutes! It’s the best way to maintain the shrimp’s original texture and flavor.
Old Bay Steamed Shrimp Recipe
Equipment
- steamer basket
Ingredients
- 1 pound deveined shrimp, shell and tail on
- 8 cups water
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 lemons sliced in half
- 3 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- Cocktail sauce, optional
Instructions
- Arrange the shrimp in a steamer basket and set aside.
- Add the water, vinegar and lemons to a large stock pot (that the steamer basket will fit on top of with a lid.)
- Bring the water to a boil over high heat.
- Place the steamer bake in the pot being sure the water isn’t touching the bottom of the basket and cover.
- Sprinkle the seasoning over the shrimp and toss to coat.
- Reduce the heat to medium and steam the shrimp for 4-6 minutes, depending on the size of your shrimp.
- Remove the lid and toss the shrimp with tongs to ensure they cook evenly. Continue cooking until the shrimp have turned pink and are opaque. Shrimp should form the shape of a “c”. If they curl up into an “o” shape, they are overcooked.
- Transfer the shrimp to a platter and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
- Serve with cocktail sauce and lemon wedges, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Check out some more of my favorite shrimp recipes!
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All of these recipes look so yummy! I love love shrimp!
Thank you so much!
The “fresh” shrimp at the grocery store are all frozen shrimp. You’re not getting fresh shrimp unless you live at a port where they come in off the boat. Nothing wrong with frozen shrimp & fish.
Ha ha! I get that most shrimp across the country is frozen and thawed, on the East coast we do have a good mix of both. But definitely worth mentioning so thank you for that point made.
You don’t “steam” anything g in 8 cups of water.
If you read the first line of the recipe it states to use a steamer basket so you are, in fact, steaming the shrimp.