Easy Peel-and-Eat Shrimp

5-Ingredient Peel and Eat Shrimp is the easiest and the most casual way of preparing shrimp using butter, garlic, beer, sugar and shrimp. Herbs are optional. Chili is a choice.

This is so quick to make that it requires minimum preparation and a fast cook. Trim off the shrimp whiskers (antennae) and a final rinse. The beer you drink is the beer you pour on the same pan. Wine is an elegant option. Also rice or bread is non-negotiable because you would want to sop all the pan juices with the carbs on hand. I also recommend a spiced vinegar dipping sauce, because that’s just me.

My grandmother taught me that all the flavors of the of the shrimp is in the head so cook the shrimp with respect – with the head on. Enjoy all the flavors it gives.This is a good outdoor meal for casual conversations, beer on one hand and occasional summer fly-swatting outdoors.

A Few Cook Pointers

Shallow wide pan so everything cooks evenly. Also, this helps prevent steaming. Once it steams, all the juices are out of the shrimp, and the dish becomes watery. We don’t want that to happen.

Ridiculous amount of butter and garlic is non-negotiable. The more, the merrier. Just important to augment salt if using unsalted butter.

I’m not going to be snobby about beer. Choose any beer of your choice. It does not matter. Wine is a more finesse option. The important step is to let it reduce. Why? we want to let the alcohol evaporate and let the sweetness remain in the pan.

Not a fan of alcohol on your food? Skip the beer and replace it with more butter. Yes, everything is better with butter.

You can also use peeled shrimp, just reducing cooking time to almost half and taking note of the visual cues on the procedure. 

Taste. Adjust. Taste. Adjust. Enjoy!

Friendly Reminders: Recipes are meant to be guides. My recipes will take you almost there, if not THERE. Enjoy cooking using your senses – taste, smell, look and feel. The more you cook, the more you develop your common cooking sense.

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MIA

Peel and Eat Shrimp

Mia Estolano-Levert

Quick cook buttery head-on shrimp that will definitely need bread or rice to sop up all the pan juices. Most ingredients can be found in your fridge and pantry. All you need is…well, shrimp. You can also use, peeled shrimp, just just reducing cooking time to almost half and taking note of the visual cues on the procedure.

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Equipment

• Shallow pan or skillet

Ingredients

  

• 3 tbsp olive oil or any cooking oil of your preference
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter or salted, just adjust your salt
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/2 tbsp paprika
• 1 cup beer or wine
• 2 lbs head-on/shell-on shrimp
• 1/2 tsp Salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp Pepper to taste
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 bunch parsley optional

Dipping Sauce (Optional)

• 1/4 cup Cane Vinegar
• 2 tbsps brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Instructions

 

• Heat Oil in a pan over MEDIUM HIGH heat/fire. Add butter and garlic. When garlic softens, add paprika. Once paprika color is infused in the oil, add beer or wine.
• Let beer or wine reduce. You'll know that alcohol has evaporated when there is only a faint smell left. If there is still a strong smell of alcohol, reduce it some more.
• Once it's reduced, add the shrimp, making sure they are all in one layer. If not, it's okay, just try to tuck them in there. Add salt and pepper.
• Start flipping the shrimp once the sides start turning bright orange (75% cooked). DO NOT COVER, or it will steam and release juices from the shrimp. I let it cook for about 4 more minutes once everything is turned over, then turn off the heat. 
• Remove from the stove. Squeeze lemon and sprinkle parsley. Serve with dipping sauce over rice. OR sop the juices up with good bread. 

Notes

Use a pan wide enough to have one layer of shrimp to prevent steaming and to have a more even cooking. 

Lessen salt when using salted butter.

Do not cover while cooking to prevent it from steaming. Or you’ll end up with a soupy shrimp instead of a luscious garlicky butter coating the shrimp.  

Keyword seafood, shrimp, ulam