Good Eats Challenge Week 12: Shrimp Cocktail

I'm not a fan of shrimp cocktail at all. You know the kind I'm talking about, those little rubbery pink things on platters at parties with super sweet sauce. This is not that kind of Shrimp Cocktail. Not only does Alton Brown's method give you perfectly cooked shrimp the sauce is spicy and tangy and delicious.

Here's the recipe from Food Network

Ingredients

• 32 shell-on (21 to 25 count) tiger shrimp

For the brine:

• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups ice

For the cocktail sauce:

• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1/2 cup prepared chili sauce
• 4 tablespoons prepared horseradish
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Few grinds fresh black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Sprinkle Old Bay seasoning

Directions

Using a pair of scissors or a serrated knife, make an incision down the backside of the shrimp, following the intestinal track. Eviscerate shrimp and rinse under cool water leaving shells intact.

Place cleaned shrimp into a bowl with brine and refrigerate mixture for 20 to 25 minutes. While shrimp are brining, place tomatoes, chili sauce, horseradish, sugar, pepper, and salt in food processor andblend until smooth. Refrigerate cocktail sauce until ready to serve.

Place a baking sheet or broiler pan under oven broiler and preheat for 5 minutes. Remove shrimp from brine and drain thoroughly. Rinse the shrimp under cold water and dry on paper towels. In a large bowl, toss shrimp with olive oil and sprinkle with Old Bay seasoning, if desired.

Place shrimp onto a sizzling sheet pan and return to broiler immediately. After 2 minutes, turn the shrimp with a pair of tongs. Return the shrimp to broiler for 1 minute. Transfer to a cold cookie sheet. Refrigerate immediately.

Once shrimp have chilled, arrange with cocktail sauce in a martini glass or as desired.

The key to this recipe is the shell on shrimp and the cooking method. Broiling the shrimp ensures that it cooks thoroughly without becoming rubbery and the shell protects the shrimp further. 

The sauce is great too. We used Sriracha for the prepared chili sauce so it was quite spicy. If you aren't a fan of spicy I'd half the amount.

All in all I call it a win. Though I just can't keep this image out of my mind

Cheers!