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New Year’s Eve Shrimp Cocktail Platter

New Year’s Eve shrimp cocktail platter features gently simmered shrimp, quickly chilled in an ice bath, and served with tangy homemade cocktail sauce. Arrange it over ice with lemon wedges for a crisp, party-ready appetizer.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Chilling 5 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 150
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the shrimp
  • 2 qt water cold
  • 2 lb ice
  • 4 qt water
  • 2 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp black peppercorns whole
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 lemon half thinly sliced and half cut into wedges
  • 2 lb shrimp large, raw, 16/20 count, thawed, peeled and deveined, tails on
For the cocktail sauce
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 2 tbsp horseradish prepared
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice bottled
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 0.25 tsp hot sauce
For the platter
  • 1 lb ice

Equipment

  • 1 8-quart bowl
  • 1 8-quart stockpot
  • 1 small bowl
  • 1 large serving platter

Method
 

Cook and chill the shrimp
  1. In a large 8-quart bowl, combine the cold water and 2 pounds of ice to make an ice bath.
  2. In an 8-quart stockpot, combine the 4 quarts water, kosher salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, and sliced half of the lemon.
  3. Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.
  4. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring gently, for 2 to 3 minutes, until opaque and the thickest shrimp reaches 145°F.
  5. Immediately transfer the shrimp to the ice bath and chill for 5 minutes.
  6. Drain the shrimp well and pat dry.
Make the cocktail sauce
  1. Stir the ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce together in a small bowl.
  2. Refrigerate the cocktail sauce until serving.
Assemble the platter
  1. Spread the remaining 1 pound ice on a large serving platter.
  2. Arrange the shrimp around a small bowl of cocktail sauce and serve with the lemon wedges.

Notes

For the best texture, chill the shrimp promptly in the ice bath and pat it dry before arranging. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days; freezing is not recommended. For a lower-sugar option, use sugar-free ketchup.