One 2-lb bag frozen wild-caught shrimp, 16/20 count
1 onion, quartered (leave unpeeled)
2 heads garlic, sliced in half horizontally
2 lemons, quartered
1 large bunch parsley, chopped into thirds
½ cup kosher salt
¼ cup whole black peppercorns
3 heaping tbsp each paprika, cumin, chili powder, red pepper flakes
1 heaping tbsp each dried thyme, rosemary, and oregano
3 dried bay leaves
2 bottles light beer (e.g., Corona)
8 cups filtered water
Cocktail sauce: ¼ cup ketchup
2 heaping tbsp horseradish
Juice of ¼ lemon
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
Few dashes hot sauce
Recipe
Defrost shrimp under running cold water, about 15–20 minutes.
Combine onion, garlic, lemon, parsley, salt, peppercorns, spices, herbs, bay leaves, and beer in a large heavy-bottomed stockpot. Add 8 cups water to fill the pot ¾ full. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
While the water heats, peel and devein the shrimp.
Once boiling, add all the shrimp at once and stir. Cook until shrimp just turns pink and curves into a U-shape, 30 seconds to 2 minutes (watch carefully).
Pour shrimp into a colander filled with ice in the sink. Rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Once cooled to room temperature, transfer to a covered bowl or bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Make cocktail sauce: combine all sauce ingredients and stir. Refrigerate until ready to use. Serve shrimp with cocktail sauce and lemon wedges.
