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drunken, shameless, and brazen!

Recipe: drunken spicy shameless shrimp with brazen cocktail sauce

I like to think that I’m not a shallow person… and then a recipe like this comes along. I read the title and immediately knew I wanted to try it – just because of the name. Perhaps from now on we should indulge in creative recipe names? Beyond the name, after skimming over the recipe I realized it was a fast and simple dish that makes traditional shrimp cocktail look like a wallflower. This take on shrimp cocktail is like the *hussy* of the shrimp cocktail world – spiked heels, overly tight jeans, bad lipstick, and cleavage. I love it.


a kilo of lovely, raw shell-on shrimp

mixing up creole seasoning



The recipe comes from the Dinosaur Bar B Que cookbook, which I always seem to rediscover each summer. I can’t recall if I bought it for myself or if my friend, Carrie, gave it to me. Even if I bought it for myself, I wouldn’t have known about Dinosaur BBQ had it not been for Carrie’s love affair with the place. So thanks either way, sweetie.

BRAZEN sauce! she’s got a bite

the boil requires beer



I always have a *vat* of Mutha Sauce in my fridge as well as several of the Dinosaur BBQ spice rubs already mixed in my cupboards, so it’s alarming for me when I have to mix up MORE. The process is so bloody simple, though. The shrimp boil required some Old Bay seasoning which is a staple in any southern Virginia home. But this isn’t southern Virginia and I couldn’t find it anywhere in Boulder. I went online and found a copycat recipe and mixed up some of my own (I’ll list that in the recipe too).

drop the shrimpies into the boiling liquid

chilling out on ice



The shrimp is quick to whip up if you have the Mutha sauce and your spice rubs ready to go. Even if you don’t, the sauce and rubs are easy to make too (just a long list of ingredients, but nothing overly complex to make you cuss). It makes a perfect appetizer for a party of friends who like a little spice and are willing to roll up their sleeves and get dirty! Jeremy and I enjoyed them for dinner. Summer is good.

toss cooled shrimp with garlic and creole seasoning

you are invited to dig in



Drunken Spicy Shameless Shrimp with Brazen Cocktail Sauce
[print recipe]
from the Dinosaur Bar B Que cookbook

(24 oz.) 2 bottles or cans of domestic beer
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 cups water
2 tbsps Old Bay seasoning (see copycat recipe below)
2 lbs. (1 kg) large shrimp, shell on
2 tbsps garlic, minced
2 tbsps Creole Seasoning (see recipe below)
ice

brazen sauce
2 cups Mutha Sauce
1 cup prepared horseradish
2 tbsps Worcestershire sauce
1/4 lime, juice of
1/4 lemon, juice of
2 tsps Tabasco sauce

old bay seasoning copycat recipe
from bluecrab.info

1 tbsp celery salt
1/4 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground cayenne
pinch ground mustard
pinch ground mace
pinch ground cinnamon
pinch ground cardamom
pinch ground allspice
pinch ground clove
pinch ground ginger

Mix all ingredients together.

creole seasoning
1/2 cup paprika
1/2 cup granulated garlic
1/4 cup granulated onion
3 tbsps black pepper
2 tsps white pepper
2 tsps cayenne pepper
1/4 cup dried oregano
1/4 cup dried thyme
2 tsps ground cumin
2 tbsps sugar

Mix all ingredients well. Store in well-sealed glass or plastic container. Makes 2 1/2 cups.

The shrimp: Combine beer, vinegar, water, and Old Bay seasoning in a high sided pot and bring to boil over high heat. Once at rapid boil, pour the shrimp into the pot and cover with lid. Cook for 2 minutes or until shrimp is just done. Drain the shrimp in a colander and cover with enough ice to stop the cooking. Toss the shrimp in a bowl with the garlic and creole seasoning. Serve warm or chilled.

Brazen sauce: Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl and serve with shrimp.

36 nibbles at “drunken, shameless, and brazen!”

  1. Kelly says:

    LOVE Dinosaur BBQ!! I live close to one, and am about an hours’ ride away from the original in Syracuse, NY. I really need to pick up the cookbook. I’ve had these shrimp in the restaurant, and ohhhhhh dear. They are incredible (and I don’t even really like shrimp!). I think I might need to schedule a dinner date at Dinosaur pretty soon.

  2. Rebecca/Woman with a Whisk says:

    Oh, how I love eating shrimp on a kraft paper-covered picnic table with a plastic cup of cheap light beer alongside. Looks perfectly spicy!

  3. Rosa says:

    That dish looks wonderful and so flavorful! I love the pairing…

    Cheers,

    Rosa

  4. Rachel says:

    Hey – no disrespect to Southern Virginia – but Old Bay is a Maryland seasoning. It goes on Maryland crab. And it goes on absolutely anything else and will result in a delicious punch, but I’m just trying to do Maryland proud, here.

  5. Tartelette says:

    God I have not sent your box yet (surprise,surprise..not) because I am adding a box of Old Bay in it. Yes, even if you now have a copycat, the tin is always cool to look at. (now that’s shallow :))
    I could really see this be our dinner too with a great big salad. Can’t wait for shrimp season!

  6. Irina (PastryPal) says:

    Are those just freaky huge shrimp or do you have really tiny ice cubes?

    Shrimp dishes are usually so fast to throw together. Love ’em.

  7. Mollie says:

    I do love a good hussy… my mother told me I would be one when I got my third ear piercing, so I’ve always regarded it as a good thing, even tho I’m sure that’s not what my mother intended! :)

    And just last night the hubs was saying he wanted a good shrimp cocktail with spicy sauce… think this will be on the menu this weekend. Our house stocks old bay and mutha sauce too… as all finer homes should! :)

  8. April in CT says:

    Those are the cutest little ice cubes I’ve ever seen. Beer and Old Bay…yummmm.

  9. charlane says:

    yummmmmm, I love this with the wild shrimp we can get down here

  10. Jenny says:

    I ordered their cookbook a while back because of your posts – and I LOVE that book!

  11. pixen says:

    Just looking at your prawns already made me hungry again :’-( I can’t wait to get fresh prawns to try this recipe! Need to get several kilos of them :-D

  12. Asianmommy says:

    Looks heavenly!

  13. Daniela Restrepo says:

    Never ceases to amaze me the incredible flavours that use real butter throws at me.
    I want shrimp, and I want it now

  14. Cate says:

    The title definitely appeals to me…and your pictures are, as always, perfect!

  15. Simone (junglefrog) says:

    I can understand why that title would appeal! I think good recipe naming is an art in itself. Those shrimps look amazingly delicious!

  16. Aran says:

    i can smell it from here! yum!

  17. Kristin @ De Nacho says:

    I’m always sort of against buying seasoning blends because I like to mix my own seasonings and usually pre-made seasoning blends are a rip off. I’ve always made exceptions for seasoned salt and Old Bay, but now I’m going to have to try making my own Old Bay for sure.

  18. Valérie says:

    I can never decide if I prefer recipe titles to be creative, or informative… It’s hard to have it both ways.

    This appetizer looks like it delivers one powerful kick!

  19. breadchick says:

    And now I have my dish for the get together I’m going to this weekend with a bunch of hot-head saucers!

  20. Manggy says:

    Hah! And I thought regular shrimp cocktail was the cleavage-y slutty dish already! :P But I tend to look past that and try to see if the dish has any personality. The difference is that most shrimp cocktails, with bottled cocktail sauce and sad, tasteless crustaceans, sadly do not. This one’s got a special trick up her sleeve :) And, I got to visit your barbecue chicken post again!

  21. Lori says:

    The drunken shrimp! I love it. Cleavage, bad lipstick, spike heels. Ha. I love it.

  22. Kamran Siddiqi (The Sophisticated Gourmet) says:

    This is some recipe! Yumm! I am not much of a seafood person, but when I do eat it. It has to be cooked a certain way and this is my kind of way! All of your photos are amazing and everything looks super delish. Great post & great blog!

  23. Bingo says:

    We love the Dinosaur BBQ. Unfortunately we do not live near one, but since we have lots of family in upstate NY, it’s our first stop whenever we get to Rochester, NY. Have an awesome picture of family members and the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile taken outside the Dinosaur in Syracuse several years ago. It’s hilarious. I bought the cookbook for my husband several years ago. We haven’t tried this recipe yet, but will now.

  24. Amy Esther says:

    Oh my god, I was so excited to see The Dinosaur mentioned today! Rochester, N.Y. is my hometown, and the Dinosaur is my dad’s favorite stop with his bicycling buddies. He bought me the cookbook a few years ago, and it is simply one of my favorites just to read and drool over the pictures. I’m allergic to shrimp, unfortunately, but this looks amazingly delicious!!

  25. jenyu says:

    Kelly – lucky you! The cookbook is great. I keep finding more and more recipes I want to try. Mmmm.

    Rebecca – yes, it’s the epitome of summer ;)

    Rosa – thanks!

    Rachel – right. I was referring to growing up in So Virginia – it is in every southern kitchen, really ;) I guess you Marylanders need something to boast about, eh? *snicker*

    Tartelette – omg!!! You are TEH awesome!!! xxoo

    Irina – ha ha ha! We have tiny ice cubes. We don’t have an ice maker in our freezer. My ice cube tray is this cool one with tons of itty bitty ice cubes (I like them better in my drinks than large ice cubes).

    Mollie – Mmmm. Lucky hubs!!

    April – hee hee, thanks!

    Charlane – oh wild shrimp… mmmm.

    Jenny – isn’t it great? Has not disappointed me.

    Pixen – that’s my kinda shrimp! Several kilos! :)

    Asianmommy – thank you.

    Daniela – awww, thanks.

    Cate – you’re very sweet. Thank you!

    Simone – yup. Good recipe titles are hard to come by. I’m guilty of that too :(

    Aran – ;)

    Kristin – I like making my own too, but if I had a box of Old Bay, I’d use it over making my own :)

    Valerie – agreed. It’s a rare occasion when you can glean the meaning from a creative title.

    Breadchick – woohoo! Have fun ;)

    Mark – I have to say that I like the spicier shrimp than the bland kind too. You guys must get great seafood out there.

    Lori – ;)

    Kamran – you’re so sweet. Thanks, hon!

    Bingo – nice. My friend had them cater her wedding! ha ha. I’ve had the book for years and this was the first time I tried this recipe. Yay for surprises!

    Amy – bummer about the shrimp :( How sweet of your dad to get you that cookbook! It’s a winner for me every time.

  26. Mr.Choice says:

    Damn! Those shrimp look fantastically yummy. I will certainly cook this dish soon. Thanks for this post.

  27. Caitlin says:

    Don’t invite me to dig in – I nearly smooshed my computer screen in! :P I go for pictures when picking recipes, so I can’t judge you at all!

  28. Lizzie says:

    Oh these look good for Saturday night in “our” park across the street. Alcohol is a no-no there, so we fill empty coke cans with Guinness Stout which should be awesome with those shrimperoonies.

  29. jenyu says:

    Mr Choice – thanks!

    Caitlin – ha ha ha! hi-larious :)

    Lizzie – have fun with that!

  30. randy garcia says:

    girl, u are the shizzle!!! im in love with the way you write your blogs

  31. jenyu says:

    Randy – awww, thanks :)

  32. Mrs Ergül says:

    Ah! It was this post that I had ready my comment but was not able to post it for some reason.

    These shrimps sure look oh very sexy! And some say it makes it tastier to eat with your hands! This sure fits the bill!

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  36. Isaac says:

    Those photos are awesome, and the shrimp looks tasty! Love the hussy comment =)

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