Name: Louisiana Peel and Eat Shrimp
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 4 min
Total time: 9 min
Ingredients: 1 pound uncooked medium or large shrimp ((easy peel or tail on, deveined)); 6 cups water; 12 ounces beer; 1 large lemon, halved or quartered; 2 tablespoons all purpose Creole seasoning (+ 1 teaspoon for serving.); 1 tablespoon mixed pickling spice; 1 tablespoon butter

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With no prep and a 2-4 minute cook time, these Louisiana Peel & Eat Shrimp aren’t just loaded up with flavor, they’re also absolutely effortless! Well seasoned, sweet shrimp ready to be peeled and dunked in melted butter or cocktail sauce are the perfect reason to get together! Serve them as a fun appetizer or a main dish; use leftovers in a salad.

A platter of Louisiana peel and eat shrimp served with homemade cocktail sauce and lemon wedges.

How many summers have I happily sat next to paper plate filled with empty shrimp shells? There’s no telling. But one thing’s for sure… it’s a true sign of a peel and eat feast! Aside from a good fish fry, there isn’t a recipe that has more summer memories than big platter of peel and eat shrimp.

Louisiana Peel and Eat Shrimp is that perfect summer recipe that makes everyone happy!

What Are Peel & Eat Shrimp?

Peel and Eat Shrimp are a wonderfully tasty, hands-on delicacy! Plump shrimp that have been boiled in highly seasoned water with their shells on for maximum flavor and tenderness are served up either hot or cold and piled high on platters with wedges of lemon and homemade cocktail sauce, remoulade or tartar sauce.

They can be served as a great shrimp appetizer or a quick main dish. How ever they’re served, they are 100% summertime beach eats with the magic to turn any gathering into a party!

Ingredients

Peel and eat shrimp are boiled in water seasoned with lemons, butter, creole seasoning and beer.

I’ll walk through an overview of ingredients & steps in this section along with helpful tips!

Look for specifics at the end of the post in the recipe card.

medium to large shrimp (easy peel or tail-on, deveined shrimp)
lemons
butter
all purpose Creole seasoning (includes basic seasonings like salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, thyme, black pepper and cayenne pepper)
mixed pickling spice
12 ounce can of beer (sub with 3-4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, if desired)

What Kind of Shrimp Should I Use?

Medium to large shrimp are best to use for Peel and Eat Shrimp. U.S. wild caught shrimp are usually packaged and sold using numbers. These numbers indicate how many shrimp are in a pound. 26-30 indicates large shrimp, while 31-35 indicates medium size shrimp. These sizes are the sweet spot for the best flavor and texture for peel and eat shrimp.

Of course, local shrimp fresh from The Gulf are best. But if you don’t live close to the coast, there’s nothing wrong with flash frozen shrimp. You’ll know they are flash frozen because they’re individually frozen and not stuck together in hunks of ice.

And full disclosure, unless you are buying fresh shrimp on the coast, they’ve probably been frozen anyway. Most shrimp is flash frozen right on the boat after being caught. Much (if not all) of the “fresh shrimp” in glass cases at the grocery store have been thawed for display.

For convenience, also choose, shell-on, deveined shrimp or easy peel shrimp. See below.

How To Make Louisiana Peel and Eat Shrimp

A collage showing the steps of boiling shrimp- boiling in a well-seasoned stock water then draining in a colander.

Season The Cooking Liquid. Add water, beer, Creole seasoning, pickling spice and butter to a large pot. Squeeze in the juice of a lemon and then add the lemon quarters to the pot. Bring to a boil.

Boil the Shrimp. Add shrimp, cook 3-4 minutes, just until shrimp are pink (2-3 minutes if shrimp are fresh and not frozen).

Strain & Serve. Drain shrimp promptly in a colander. Discard the lemon. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of Creole seasoning. Toss and serve on a platter or in a serving bowl with lemon wedges.

If Serving Cold (a great option if you need a make-ahead dish): Put shrimp in a covered bowl and refrigerate to cool. Do not run under cold water to cool. Running water over the shrimp to cool them after cooking will affect the flavor and texture.

An appetizer finger food platter of Louisiana boiled peel and eat shrimp with lemons and cocktail sauce.

Tips & Tricks To Making the Best Boiled Shrimp

Your shrimp will only have as much flavor as the water it is boiled in, so making sure it is well-seasoned is everything.
If you don’t want to use beer in your cooking water, several tablespoons of apple cider vinegar work as a good substitute. (I have even used the ACV + a splash or two of vegetable or chicken broth.)
If you don’t want to make your own Creole seasoning, use a store bought Cajun/Creole seasoning mix or Old Bay Seasoning in its place. The perks of making your own seasoning blend and having it on hand are controlling the amounts of sodium and spice levels.
Be careful not to overcook the shrimp. Overcooked shrimp are tough and rubbery. It really does only take 2-4 minutes to cook them properly. (4 minutes for frozen shrimp.)
You know when shrimp are done when the shells and tails turn pink and the meat begins to turn white. Drain them immediately. They will continue to cook as long as they sit in hot water.

A serving of boiled peel and eat shrimp served with crusty bread, butter, cocktail sauce and lemons.

How many Pounds of Shrimp Should I Make Per Person?

If you are serving Peel and Eat Shrimp as a main dish with filling side dishes like corn, potatoes or cole slaw then ½-1 pound of raw or uncooked shrimp per person is good amount to prepare.

If serving as an appetizer for a party or gathering, then 5-8 large shrimp person is plenty.

Do You Have to Devein Peel & Eat Shrimp?

The dark vein which runs down the back of each shrimp is its digestive tract. It’s not harmful if eaten, but the idea is awfully unappetizing and will make your boiled shrimp have a gritty texture. So I am all for properly deveined shrimp.

If you don’t want to do the work of deveining (like me), then buying easy peel shrimp or shrimp labeled as “shell-on, deveined” is the way to go. Deveining them yourself is time consuming and doesn’t add any authenticity to the dish or process. So why? Plus, deveined shrimp have split shells making them so much easier to peel!

Boiled shrimp with cajun seasoning served on a rectangular platter as the perfect summer or beach finger food.

Are Boiled Peel & Eat Shrimp the Same as A Shrimp Boil?

No, they aren’t. A Shrimp Boil refers to a meal and an entire event! For a shrimp boil, shrimp are cooked in the same pot with corn on the cob, potatoes and sausage (and sometimes other vegetables), then poured out on a large table and eaten family style with those friends, family and neighbors you love best!

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If You Make This Recipe, I Can’t Wait To Hear About It!