Now, it occurred to me that the title of this recipe could reasonably make you think that we were eating shrimp while swigging down beer. Which was not the case.
Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I am a Pinot Noir type of girl. You can also easily talk me into any kind of margarita.
No, the beer in this super-easy dish is the liquid that you cook the shrimp in. That and some garlic, a little fresh parsley, some Old Bay seafood seasoning and your favorite beer.
You throw all of these ingredients into a skillet, boil it all for two minutes, and you are done. Yes, TWO MINUTES.
I barely had time to make the buttery lemony dipping sauce. That’s it, folks. It just may be a new indoor record in terms of getting a pretty great-tasting dinner on the table in as little time as possible.
Now a word to the wise: this dish is messy, and I mean that in the best way.
One of the reasons it is so fast is that you don’t peel the shrimp first (yes!!!) – they cook in the shell.
You dump the whole thing into one big bowl, have another empty bowl on the table for the shells, give everyone their own personal little container of the lemon butter dipping sauce, and go to town.
Peel and eat, baby…no forks involved anywhere. At my house, this always results in a merry, festive attitude during dinner, and that in itself is worth the butter spatters all over the table.
When I remember, I cover the table with newspaper first, which catch the drips…or we eat outside!
ingredients you need to make shrimp cooked in beer!
here’s how to make shrimp cooked in beer!
STEP 1: Put 2 pounds of large unpeeled shrimp, 4 cloves of peeled and smashed garlic, a handful of fresh parsley, 2 teaspoons of Old Bay seafood (you can find it in the spice aisle) and one 12 ounce can or bottle of beer into a pot, give it all a stir and bring it to a boil over high heat.
STEP 2: Let the shrimp simmer until they are opaque (about 2 minutes) and then scoop them out onto a platter or bowls to cool off a little.
STEP 3: While the shrimp are cooling, make the dipping sauce by stirring together 4 tablespoons of melted butter, the juice from one lemon and a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce. Divide the sauce into individual containers (I like to use tiny prep bowls for this).
STEP 4: Serve up the shrimp in the shell, letting people peel their own. Put a bowl in the middle of the table so folks have a place to toss the shells, and instead of napkins, hand out individual wet washcloths for their hands.
More tips for making shrimp cooked in beer!
You can, but the large kind are easiest to peel so that what I usually go for.
Any kind is fine! If you have a favorite, definitely use that one, and if you aren’t a beer drinker (raises hand!) I would use a lighter beer. It’s going to add just a subtle flavor so don’t worry too much about it.
If you are like my mama, you will find a wonderful recipe for making shrimp broth from the empty shells. But if you are like me, before you toss them out put them in a sealed plastic bag or container of some sort so your trash doesn’t get, um, aromatic.
Drop it in the comments below and I will answer you pronto!
Shrimp. Beer. More beer (or a margarita) on the side. Happiness!
It just may be my favorite seafood supper ever…hope you love it too!
Shrimp Cooked In Beer
This super simple recipe for shrimp cooked in beer is an instant seafood supper party! A lemon butter dipping sauce rounds out the deliciousness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 2 pounds shrimp in the shell (get the large kind)
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 8 sprigs fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
- One 12 ounce can beer
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- Juice from one lemon
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Put the shrimp, garlic, parsley, Old Bay and beer into a pot, give it all a stir and bring it to a boil over high heat.
- Let the shrimp simmer until they are opaque (about 2 minutes) and then scoop them out onto a platter or bowls to cool off a little.
- While the shrimp are cooling, make the dipping sauce by stirring together the melted butter, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Divide the sauce into individual containers (I like to use tiny prep bowls for this).
- Serve up the shrimp in the shell, letting people peel their own. Put a bowl in the middle of the table so folks have a place to toss the shells, and instead of napkins, hand out individual wet washcloths for their hands.
Notes
Need to add something to your kitchen equipment to make this recipe? Below are some of the items we used in the Framed Cooks kitchen to help cook this up. These are affiliate links to things we use and love, which helps to pay for all that bacon I keep buying (without any extra cost to you)! Thanks for using them to keep our kitchen cooking…xoxo!
Keywords: gluten-free shrimp with beer, low carb beer boiled shrimp with lemon butter, shrimp cooked in beer, how to cook shrimp in beer
OTHER EASY SHRIMP RECIPES WE LOVE!
 This speedy summer shrimp salad tosses pears, cucumber, cashews and fresh mint with a lemony dressing for a refreshing light seafood supper. |
 Lemons, shrimp, garlic and pasta – if you love them, this recipe for lemon shrimp scampi with linguine is the supper you have been looking for! |
 This recipe for roasted tomatoes with shrimp and feta combines three great tastes in one dish! It’s an easy supper full of rich cheese flavor. |
Robert L Harrison says
Do you put the cooked shrimp in a sink of ice water to stop the cooking?
Hi Robert! You definitely can, but I find that rinses some of the scrumptious spices away. If you cook up the shrimp until they are just barely done and then spread them out to cool, any extra cooking that goes on won’t impact the texture. Great question though! 😊