Old Bay seasoning isn’t just about crab cakes. There’s so much you can do with it, and one of our favorites is a quick shrimp boil to give those shellfish a special Maryland kick. Spicy boiled Old Bay shrimp is a simple recipe. It’s very easy to make and quick from the kitchen to the plate. But don’t equate simple with flavorless.
🌶️ Quick recipe snapshot
| Flavor profile | Celery salt, paprika and mustard, steamed into the shrimp on beer. Salty and savory, with the spice sitting behind it |
| Primary heat source | The paprika in the Old Bay. Cayenne if you want more |
| Heat level | Mild. Paprika tops out around 500 SHU, so you get seasoning warmth and very little burn |
| Texture | Shell-on, peeled at the table. The shells hold the seasoning on and keep the shrimp from drying out |
| Best uses | Party food. Summer barbecue, game day, a big plate in the middle of the table with cocktail sauce and lemon |
| How long it takes | Fifteen minutes, and the shrimp only cook for four of them |
Flavor notes
Old Bay packs a ton of spice in that canister. Take a look at Old Bay’s ingredients and you’ll get an idea of how much flavor we’re talking about here. From ginger to allspice, it’s a laundry list of spices that, together, create a highly-addictive taste. This is an excellent party recipe, whether it’s a summer barbecue or a game day celebration.
Leave the shells on. They hold the Old Bay right up against the shrimp, and they keep the meat from going rubbery in a pot that’s only running four minutes. Then you peel them at the table and everybody’s fingers end up covered in seasoning.
Two cups of liquid for two pounds of shrimp, with a lid on. That’s a steam more than a boil. And it’s why a quarter cup of Old Bay hits as hard as it does here. Dump that same quarter cup into a big stockpot of water and you’d barely taste it.
Don’t skip the Old Bay you sprinkle on at the end. The quarter cup in the pot seasons the shrimp through the shell while they cook. The sprinkle on the plate is the one you actually taste, and the one that ends up all over your fingers.
Adaptation ideas
The paprika in Old Bay supplies the heat (and there’s just a little spiciness here). If you’d like more spiciness, add a pinch or two of cayenne pepper powder to the Old Bay. It’ll provide additional spiciness without changing the overall flavor profile. Careful, a little goes a long way with cayenne, so start small.
- No beer? Water works. So does a light stock. You’ll miss a bit of the malt, so add a splash of cider vinegar or a squeeze of lemon to the pot.
- Already-peeled shrimp? Drop the cook to about three minutes and go easier on the Old Bay. It lands straight on the meat now, so it hits harder.
- Serve them cold: Drain, straight into ice water, then chill. They’re just as good cold, which is handy when you’re feeding a crowd.
- Old Bay Hot: If your store carries it, swap it in one for one and skip measuring cayenne.
- Make it a proper boil: Halved baby potatoes and corn on the cob into the pot first, give them a head start, then the shrimp for the last four minutes.
Serving ideas
Put it in the middle of the table with something to dip in and lemon to squeeze over. Newspaper underneath, if you want to do it properly.
- Cocktail sauce and lemon: The recipe already says so, and it’s right. The acid cuts through all that salt.
- Melted butter with Old Bay stirred in: A little bowl of it next to the plate. Cheap trick, works every time.
- Corn and potatoes: Same pot, and now it’s dinner.
- Cold beer: You’ve got most of a bottle left anyway.
Storage notes
Cooked shrimp keep two days in the fridge, no more. Get leftovers cold quickly. A plate sitting out through a long afternoon is the real risk here.
Leave the shells on until you eat them. They dry out much faster peeled, and peeling is easier cold anyway.
Don’t freeze them. They were almost certainly frozen once already before you bought them, and a second round turns the texture cottony. Chop the leftovers into a shrimp salad the next day.
Like this recipe? You’ll love these too:
- Cajun Crab Mushrooms: The mushroom caps act as a container for a delicious crab spread.
- Honey Old Bay Wings: A tasty one-two punch of sweet and (mildly) spicy.
- Old Bay Shrimp Salad: Such a delicious topper to a salad or use it as a sandwich spread.
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Spicy Boiled Old Bay Shrimp
Ingredients
- 2 pounds large uncooked shrimp unpeeled, with tails still on
- 1/4 cup Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 1/2 cups beer
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Rinse the shrimp and place to the side on paper towels to dry.
- In a large pot mix the water, beer, and Old Bay. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Add the shrimp, reduce the heat to medium-high, stir, and then cover for 4 minutes. Stir once half way through.
- Check the shrimp to see if they are pink. If they are, drain the shrimp and move them to a serving plate. If not, cook them until they are pink (typically 1 to 2 additional minutes).
- On the serving plate, sprinkle the shrimp with Old Bay and then serve with salsa, cocktail sauce, and/or lemons.
