Old Bay Shrimp (MD)
intro
Juicy steamed shell-on shrimp coated in iconic zesty Old Bay seasoning, a classic Chesapeake Bay Maryland staple perfect for casual warm-weather gatherings.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep the raw shrimp
Rinse 900g of shell-on, deveined 16-20 count raw shrimp under cold running water, pat lightly dry with paper towels, and set aside in a cool bowl; leave shells and tails intact to lock in briny flavor during steaming.
Build the steam base
Pour 240ml water and 120ml apple cider vinegar into the bottom of a large lidded stockpot, stir in 3 tablespoons of Old Bay seasoning and 1 teaspoon kosher salt, then set a metal steamer basket inside the pot so liquid sits 1 inch below the basket base.
Heat the steam liquid
Cover the stockpot tightly with its lid, place over medium-high heat, and bring the seasoned liquid to a rolling boil over 3-4 minutes, confirmed by steady, wispy steam escaping from the lid edges.
Steam the seasoned shrimp
Once boiling, carefully lift the lid away from your face to avoid steam burns, add the prepared shrimp to the steamer basket in a single even layer, sprinkle 2 tablespoons of Old Bay over the shrimp, re-cover tightly, and steam for 3-4 minutes until shrimp turn bright opaque pink and feel firm to the touch. Do not overcook, as this leads to rubbery meat.
Toss with butter and spice
Transfer the hot steamed shrimp to a large wide mixing bowl, pour 45g of melted unsalted butter over the top, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of Old Bay seasoning, and toss vigorously with tongs for 30 seconds until every shrimp is evenly coated in spiced butter.
Rest and serve warm
Let the tossed shrimp rest for 2 minutes to absorb the butter and seasoning, then transfer to a large serving platter, tuck fresh lemon wedges around the edges, and serve warm with extra Old Bay for optional dusting.
Tips
2.Check shrimp doneness carefully: perfectly cooked shrimp curl into a loose 'C' shape; if they curl into a tight 'O', they are overcooked and will have a rubbery texture.
3.For an authentic Maryland crab house experience, serve the shrimp spread over newspaper-covered tables with small ramekins of Old Bay-spiked melted butter for dipping, no fancy plates required.
OMG this was SO good! I made this for our Sunday family dinner a couple days ago and everyone went back for seconds, even my super picky 10 year old who turns his nose up at any seafood that isn’t fish sticks. The Old Bay ratio is perfect—not too overpowering but you get that classic Maryland zing. Served it with buttered corn on the cob and creamy coleslaw, and it felt like we were at a coastal cookout right in our backyard! Total game changer for quick weeknight meals too since it only took 20 minutes from start to finish. Will absolutely be making a big batch for our neighborhood potluck next month!
As someone who does weekly meal prep for my work lunches, I’m always looking for quick, high-protein recipes that don’t taste like sad diet food. This checked every single box! Super easy to throw together on Sunday, stays great in the fridge for 3-4 days, and the Old Bay gives it so much flavor I don’t even need a fancy dipping sauce. I paired mine with roasted veggies and quinoa for a balanced lunch, and my coworkers kept stopping by my desk all week asking what smelled so good. 10/10, adding this to my regular rotation!
Wow, I’m literally the worst at cooking seafood—every time I try to make shrimp it comes out rubbery and totally bland. Decided to give this a shot since it was marked easy and only 20 minutes, and I can’t believe how good it turned out! I followed the directions exactly, didn’t overcook the shrimp, and the Old Bay coating was perfectly seasoned. My roommate thought I ordered takeout from that fancy seafood spot downtown lmao. Already texted the recipe to my sister who’s also a total beginner in the kitchen. Only note: I wish I’d bought more shrimp because we ate the whole batch in 10 minutes flat.
I grew up going to the Eastern Shore of Maryland every summer with my grandparents so I’m super picky about Old Bay shrimp—so many recipes out there either dump way too much Old Bay so it’s all you can taste, or use way too little so it’s just plain boiled shrimp. This recipe is dead on for the authentic stuff I remember eating at the little beach shacks! I made a big 3-pound batch for our Fourth of July get together and it was the first dish gone. Even my cousin who lives in Baltimore said it tasted just like the shrimp we get at the crab feasts back home. SO good, don’t change a thing about this recipe!
Made this last night for date night with my partner and it was a total hit! We added a tiny pinch of cayenne for a little extra heat since we love spicy food, and dipped the shrimp in homemade cocktail sauce. So quick to make after work, we didn’t even have to make a special trip to the grocery store because we already had all the ingredients (we always keep Old Bay in the pantry, duh). Will definitely be making this again on busy weeknights when we don’t feel like putting a ton of effort into dinner but still want something that feels special.