Restaurant Style Peel and Eat Shrimp

We recently returned from a vacation to the Fernandina Beach area of Florida. We’d never been before and so enjoyed our time there. From the moment I made the reservations I dreamed of one thing about the trip. Nope, it wasn’t the beach, or the great warm weather or nice people. I dreamed of eating restaurant style peel and eat shrimp. And I don’t mean sort of dreamed about it, either. I was obsessed. And after we got home I made an exact copy of those same dishes so I could keep enjoying it.

Restaurant-Style Peel-and-Eat Shrimp

You want to use the best shrimp I could get when I made these restaurant style peel-and-eat shrimp. That means not farm raised somewhere far, far away. Lucky me, I found a family-owned seafood company just south of Amelia Island that ships fantastic shrimp for a good price, Shrimp To Shore. The shrimp are wild caught, perfectly sized, and crazy delicious. They’re what made this a memorable dish.

Oh, if you’re in the Fernandina Beach or Amelia Island areas and are craving great peel-and-eat shrimp, stop by The Salty Pelican and Slider’s Seaside Grill and order up a plate!

Also try my Italian barbecue shrimp.

Restaurant-Style Peel-and-Eat Shrimp
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5 from 1 vote

Restaurant Style Peel and Eat Shrimp

Use the best shrimp you can find for the best results
Course Appetizer or Main
Cuisine American
Keyword restaurant, shrimp
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings 1
Calories 249kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Fill a large pot halfway with water. Add the beer, 2 tablespoons of Old Bay, pickling spice, and one lemon (halved along with the juice).
  • Bring the water to a boil.
  • Add the shrimp.
  • Cook for 2-4 minutes or until done as desired.
  • Drain the shrimp in a colander but do not rinse. Sprinkle with more Old Bay as desired and toss gently.
  • Serve with the remaining lemon (sliced) and cocktail sauce. I serve my shrimp over fresh crushed ice.
  • Note: I like to cook a single shrimp first. I use it as a test to determine the exact cook time for the remaining shrimp. In my case, my 20 count shrimp took 2 minutes and 40 seconds to be perfect. Shrimp aren't cheap, and you want the best-cooked shrimp. I think it's worth this extra step to determine the ideal cook time!

Nutrition

Calories: 249kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 507mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 290IU | Vitamin C: 118mg | Calcium: 189mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Peel and Eat Grilled Shrimp

Talk about just up-and-disappearing, these peel and eat grilled shrimp were so dang good they didn’t stick around long enough to even cool off. The spice mixture that coats the shrimp is spot-on, with hints of sweetness and a warm earthiness. Seems odd, perhaps, but they were fantastic. So fantastic that I made them two nights in a row.

Peel and Eat Grilled Shrimp

My motto has always been: The messier the dish, the tastier it is. Well, maybe that’s part of why I loved these peel and eat grill shrimp so much. They are messy. Very messy. I tried them once with shell-on (but deveined) shrimp and once using peeled (but still tail-on) shrimp. Both were fantastic, but I preferred the shell-on shrimp (I bought mine online from Shrimp to Shore). They’re messier. You get to peel them. And you get to lick your fingers even more it seems.

Also try my marinated grilled shrimp.

Peel and Eat Grilled Shrimp
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4 from 1 vote

Peel and Eat Grilled Shrimp

My motto has always been: The messier the dish, the tastier it is. Well, maybe that's part of why I loved these peel and eat grill shrimp so much.
Course Appetizer or Main
Cuisine American
Keyword shrimp
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 247kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Fire up your grill for high-heat direct cooking. You can use skewers, a grill pan, griddle or cook the shrimp directly on the grates. Alternatively, you can cook the shrimp in a large skillet on the stove top over medium-high heat.
  • Whisk together the paprika, chili powder, brown sugar, cumin, garlic, vegetable oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
  • Add the shrimp and use spatula to turn and coat well. I actually prefer to use my hands to make sure that the shrimp get fully coated, but the paprika does make your fingers turn red. It just dawned on my that food-safe gloves would've been a smart idea!
  • Transfer the shrimp to the grill. Skewer first if using skewers. Make sure that the shrimp lay flat on the grill and do not overlap. If cooking indoors, add a splash of oil to the skillet before adding the shrimp, also keeping them in one layer. You might have to cook them in batches so they don't overlap.
  • Cook for 2 minutes per side, flipping once.
  • Transfer shrimp to a serving platter or bowl and toss with the green onion before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 247kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 381mg | Sodium: 1998mg | Potassium: 243mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1079IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 251mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Old Bay Peel ‘N Eat Shrimp

If you are within 500 miles of Augusta, Georgia, do not make these Old Bay peel ‘N eat shrimp. Instead, get in your car and drive to Rhinehart’s Oyster Bar and order a batch of their spicy boiled shrimp. If you’re like me and a drive to Rhinehart’s is a bit out of the question, make these shrimp. They’re mighty close to tasting like the ones at Rhinehart’s, but for the real deal, you need to make the journey.

Old Bay Peel N Eat Shrimp

I could eat these Old Bay Peel ‘N Eat Shrimp all day long. Hot or cold, it doesn’t matter to me. With cocktail sauce. With clarified butter. Or by themselves. I don’t care, just get me a basket of shrimp.

I recommend that you not be shy with the Old Bay when you sprinkle the cooked shrimp just before serving. If you’re a big fan of Old Bay like I am you’ll want as much of that great flavor on your shrimp as you can get. I go nuts with it. There’s no such thing as too much of it for me.

I served these shrimp with my quick and easy cocktail sauce.

Also try my grilled Old Bay crab legs!

Old Bay Peel 'N Eat Shrimp
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4.34 from 3 votes

Old Bay Peel ‘N Eat Shrimp

I could eat these Old Bay Peel ‘N Eat Shrimp all day long. Hot or cold, it doesn’t matter to me. With cocktail sauce. With clarified butter. Or by themselves. I don’t care, just get me a basket of shrimp.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword Old Bay, shrimp
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 134kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine the vinegar, water, 1/3 cup of the Old Bay seasoning, garlic and peppercorns in a large pot.
  • Bring to a rapid boil over medium high heat.
  • Add the shrimp. Cover and cook 2-4 minutes or until the shrimp are pink. Do not over cook.
  • Drain shrimp but do not rinse.
  • Transfer shrimp to a large bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons (or more) of Old Bay and toss gently to coat.
  • Serve with cocktail sauce and clarified butter, if desired, for dipping. These shrimp are also great cold.

Nutrition

Calories: 134kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 286mg | Sodium: 896mg | Potassium: 150mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 88IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 211mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.