Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail Recipe

Prepare poaching liquid

Half-fill a large pot with 8 cups (approx. 2 liters) of cold water. Add kosher salt, black peppercorns, bay leaves, and the juice of the halved fresh lemon (reserve the lemon halves for serving). Bring the water to a gentle boil over high heat.

Blanch shrimp

Once the liquid reaches a rolling boil, reduce heat so it's at a lively simmer. Add the shrimp in a single layer. Cook until the shrimp are opaque, pink, and just curl into a loose C — about 2 to 3 minutes for jumbo (16/20) shrimp. Avoid overcooking; shrimp will toughen quickly.

Shock shrimp

While shrimp cook, fill a large bowl with the ice and cold water to make an ice bath. As soon as shrimp turn opaque, immediately transfer them with a slotted spoon or spider into the ice bath to stop cooking. Chill for 3 to 5 minutes until completely cooled.

Peel and chill

Remove shrimp from the ice bath and pat dry with paper towels. If shells are on, remove shells leaving tails on for presentation (optional). Trim and devein further if needed. Keep chilled on a bed of ice or refrigerated until ready to serve (up to 2 hours).

Combine ketchup, prepared horseradish, fresh lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce in a medium bowl. Stir until smooth.

Season with smoked paprika, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust heat by adding more horseradish or hot sauce, and balance acidity with an extra 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice if desired.

If using, fold in the finely grated lemon zest for brightness. Cover and chill the sauce for at least 20 minutes to let flavors meld; can be made up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated.

To serve 24 jumbo shrimp as a cold bar item for roughly 8 servings (3 shrimp per person), arrange crushed ice or a bed of ice on a platter or in a chilled shallow bowl. Sprinkle coarse sea salt over the serving surface if desired to keep the shrimp from sliding.

Nestle the peeled, chilled shrimp around a small bowl of cocktail sauce, tails out for easy picking. Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley sprigs. Provide extra chilled lemon halves for squeezing, and small forks or toothpicks for guests.

Keep the shrimp on ice and refrigerated; discard any shrimp left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if ambient temperature is above 90°F / 32°C).