Shrimp cocktail
Photo: Daderot · CC0

History

The 99-cent shrimp cocktail debuted in 1959 at the Golden Gate Casino on Fremont Street, a loss-leader to keep gamblers at the tables. Within a decade every downtown casino ran a version. The Golden Gate retired the original recipe in 2017 (it had risen to $3.99 by then) but Du-par's Restaurant at the Golden Gate brought it back. The plate is canonical Vegas: cold-poached shrimp in a parfait glass, classic tomato horseradish sauce, served with a lemon wedge and oyster crackers. The Peppermill on the Strip and several downtown counters still run it for under $10.

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Common allergens: Shellfish

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 15 minTotal 45 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 500g raw shrimp, 16 to 20 count, peeled and deveined, tails on
  • 1 lemon, halved
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
  • 2 tablespoons sea salt
  • 240ml ketchup
  • 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • Half a teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • Hot sauce to taste

Method

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a hard boil with the lemon halves squeezed in, bay leaves, peppercorns and salt. Boil 3 minutes to infuse.
  2. Drop the shrimp in. Cook 90 seconds, until just pink and curled. Drain immediately and dunk in an ice bath to stop cooking.
  3. Whisk the ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire and hot sauce in a small bowl. Adjust horseradish to taste; it should bite.
  4. Chill the shrimp at least 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
  5. Serve in chilled coupe or sundae glasses: spoon sauce in first, hook shrimp around the rim, set a lemon wedge in the centre.

Tip from the editors. The horseradish should bite the nose, not the tongue; use freshly grated for the cleanest heat.

Where to eat shrimp cocktail

Shrimp cocktail in Las Vegas

Featured by TableJourney as a signature dish of Las Vegas. See where to eat Shrimp cocktail in Las Vegas or the Las Vegas signature dishes guide.

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