You can bet that if my mom, Lisa Mayfield, is hosting a large gathering, Pickled Shrimp will be served. My problem is that I’m usually full before dinner whenever she decides to throw this recipe together. There is no easy way around the labor involved with peeling the shrimp in this recipe. It will be worth the effort. Prepare yourself to be showered with compliments by all those attending your next cocktail function. WARNING: The toughest part of this recipe is giving those delicious shrimp a full day to marinate—but trust me, it’s vital to really get the flavors infused properly.
2 cups (500 mL) olive oil
1 cup (250 mL) white vinegar
4 tablespoons (60 ml) capers, with juice
3 teaspoons (15 ml) celery seed
2 teaspoons (10 ml) salt
~ a few drops Tabasco
3 pounds (1.5 kg) shrimp, in shells
¾ cup (75 g) celery tops, chopped
½ cup (50 g) pickling spice
1 tablespoon salt
2½ cups (250 g) onion, sliced
10 bay leaves
Marinade
- Combine olive oil, vinegar, capers and their juice, celery seeds, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of salt and Tabasco drops.
- Mix well.
Shrimp
- Cover shrimp with boiling water, add celery tops, pickling spice, and salt. Let simmer for 5 minutes or until shrimp are bright pink.
- Drain, peel and devein shrimp under cold water. Make alternating layers of shrimp, bay leaves, and onions in a baking dish.
- Pour marinade over shrimp and onions.
- Chill for 24 hours, occasionally spooning marinade over shrimp.
Tips & Tricks—Using a large Tupperware dish with a lid instead of a baking dish will allow you to flip the shrimp several times while they marinate. The Tupperware is really nice to avoid spilling in the refrigerator. Serve the shrimp with toothpicks in whatever container you want.
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Pickled shrimp are the cocktail-party staple that vanishes first - plump shrimp simmered in pickling spice, then layered with bay leaves and onion in a caper-vinegar marinade. The full 24-hour chill is what makes them worth the wait. Plan ahead and you will be showered with compliments.
Pro Tips
- Simmer the shrimp only until they turn bright pink - five minutes is the ceiling and a minute more turns them rubbery.
- Peel and devein them under cold water while they are still warm; the shells release much more easily.
- Layer shrimp, bay leaves, and onion in alternating strata so every scoop picks up marinade and aromatics.
- Spoon the marinade back over the shrimp every few hours while they chill - the top layer needs the contact.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far ahead can I make pickled shrimp?
They need a full 24 hours to marinate and keep 3-4 days refrigerated. The flavor actually deepens through day two.
Can I use pre-cooked shrimp?
Skip the simmer and go straight to peeling and layering, though shrimp simmered in the pickling broth absorb more flavor.
Why is there so much olive oil?
The oil carries the caper and celery seed flavor into the shrimp and keeps them silky; much of it stays behind as the marinade.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Combine olive oil, vinegar, capers and their juice, celery seeds, 2 teaspoons of salt and Tabasco drops.
- Mix well.
- Cover shrimp with boiling water, add celery tops, pickling spice, and salt.
- Let simmer for 5 minutes or until shrimp are bright pink.
- Drain, peel and devein shrimp under cold water. Make alternating layers of shrimp, bay leaves, and onions in a baking dish.
- Pour marinade over shrimp and onions.
- Chill for 24 hours, occasionally spooning marinade over shrimp.
