How to Make Cajun Boiled Shrimp

Cajun boiled shrimp provides you with a hot and spicy flavor from the South that you can make anywhere and any time. Add in a smooth shrimp cocktail sauce and you can tone down the shrimp for those who don't like hot food. To make your Cajun boiled shrimp meal even more fun, invite many of your friends and family over for a big celebratory meal.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Measuring spoons
• 5 zipper plastic sandwich bags
• 1 oz. lagniappe
• Water
• 4 large cloves of garlic, cut in half
• Zatarain's Garlic and Onion Liquid Shrimp and Crab Boil
• 3 bay leaves
• Measuring cup
• 2 lemons
• 5 oz. salt
• Ice
• Large pot
• 5 lbs. large shrimp
• 2 to 3 oz. Cayenne pepper, to taste
• 1/2 stick butter (4 tbsp.)

Make Cajun Boiled Shrimp

1. Fill the pot 2/3 of the way full with water and place it on the stove.

2. Turn the heat on the stove up to the highest level.

3. Rinse and cut the lemons in half.

4. Add the Cayenne pepper, lagniappe, garlic, butter, bay leaves, salt and the proper amount of Zatarain's liquid as listed on the label.

5. Squeeze the lemon juice into the pot from the lemons and then drop the lemons into the pot.

6. Bring the water to a boil.

7. Pack ice into the zipper sandwich bags and place the ice back into the freezer while you wait for the water to boil.

8. Add the shrimp to the boiling pot and set a timer for 3 minutes.

9. Get the ice packages out of the freezer.

10. Turn off the heat when 3 minutes of boiling has occurred for the shrimp.

11. Place the ice bags on top of the Cajun boiled shrimp to quickly cool down the shrimp and cause the shrimp to soak up the flavors in the pot. Leave the ice in the bags so you don't water down the flavor in the pot.

12. Wait for the shrimp to soak up the flavor for 5 to 10 minutes depending on how hot and flavorful you want the shrimp to be.

13. Strain the shrimp from the pot and serve.

Tips & Warnings

• The butter is very important because it makes the shrimp easier to peel.

• Don't overcook the shrimp or you will make them very tough.

• Make sure you purchase the liquid Zatarain's and not the dry version because the liquid version spreads evenly through the pot of shrimp better than the dry spices.