American · main

Old Bay Steamed Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce

Old Bay Steamed Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce reads sourness 6.7, citrus 6.2 and fruity 4.4 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a American main, about 16 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.8 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 5.4 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 8.5 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.3 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 1.8 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 3.7 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Sourness 6.7 · Citrus 6.2 · Fruity 4.4 · Salinity 3.9 · Umami 3.5 · Sweetness 3.2 · Allium 3.2 · Marine & Briny 3.0 · Herbaceous 2.3 · Bitterness 2.2 · Funk & Ferment 2.0 · Heat 1.9 · Richness 1.8 · Warm Spice 1.6 · Floral 1.1 · Earthy 1.0

What's in it (14)

• ketchup — 237 g
• hot creamed horseradish — 44 g
• lemon juice — 15 g
• worcestershire sauce — 5 g
• hot sauce — 1 g
• lemon — 65 g
• regular beer — 340 g
• water — 237 g
• distilled white vinegar — 237 g
• bay seasoning — 59 g
• garlic — 9 g
• bay shrimp — 907 g
• salt — 5 g
• bay seasoning — 30 g

Time & effort: about 16 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 135.1 kcal, 12.3 g protein, 1.6 g fat, 18.4 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. Make the cocktail sauce: in a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve (can be made up to 3 days ahead).
2. Squeeze the lemon halves into a large pot fitted with a steamer basket, then drop in the spent halves along with the beer, water, vinegar, Old Bay seasoning, and garlic.
3. Bring the liquid to a rolling boil over high heat, uncovered, 5-6 minutes.
4. Pile the shrimp into the steamer basket in an even layer and sprinkle with the salt.
5. Cover the pot tightly and steam over high heat until the shrimp are pink, opaque, and curled into a tight C shape, and the thickest one reaches at least 145 F, 4-5 minutes, shaking the pot once halfway through to redistribute.
6. Turn off the heat and transfer the shrimp to a large bowl, discarding the steaming liquid.
7. Toss the hot shrimp immediately with the remaining Old Bay seasoning to coat evenly.
8. Pile the shrimp onto a platter and serve hot alongside the cocktail sauce for peeling and dipping at the table.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Shrimp Saganaki with Feta and Tomatoes — Greek
• Easy Greek-Inspired Salad — Greek
• Crispy Cajun Fried Shrimp with Remoulade — Cajun/Creole
• Tandoori Shrimp Skewers — Indian
• Sheet Pan Lemon Garlic Shrimp and Asparagus — American

Keep reading: what sourness, citrus, fruity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.