Summer Shrimp Boil
Full disclosure: My husband, Ian, actually created this recipe (he is quite the chef!). He was determined to make it after devouring a similar one at an outdoor restaurant in the Florida Keys.
Here, we put our own signature spin on it—oh, hello BEER—and it’s on regular rotation in my house because it takes little time to prepare and everyone in my family loves to gobble it up. When I’m serving a bigger crowd, I follow this same recipe, but after removing my first 2-pound batch of cooked shrimp, I add a second raw batch into the same pot of seasoned broth. Double the yumminess!
Note that you can cook this with all water instead of beer (it’s still delicious), but the brew certainly ups the fun factor and delivers a bolder flavor. Feel free to use whatever type of beer you prefer (light, dark, more hoppy, and so on). We typically choose a darker one.
Try this One-Skillet Lime Cilantro Shrimp!
Summer Shrimp Boil
Ingredients
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 12-ounce bottles of favorite beer
- 2 cups water
- 3 lemons, halved
- 2 to 3 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
- ½ tablespoon black peppercorns
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 pounds shell-on shrimp, medium or large*
Instructions
- In a large pot, add all ingredients (except shrimp) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 5 to 8 minutes.
- Bring back up to a full boil, add the shrimp, and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through (cooking time will vary depending on the size of the shrimp). Stir occasionally during cooking.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp from the pot to a large serving bowl. Spoon some of the cooking liquid over the top and add the lemon wedges over the shrimp.
